Spiking of drinks
1 A
trawl of internet reports finds that spiked drinks
fall into a number of categories:
(a) Sport
- drinks spiked with e.g. steroids to cause
an athlete to fail a drugs test
(b) Stupefaction/Date
Rape - Rohypnol or Gamma-Hydroxy Butyrate
(GHB) - used to sedate a victim and interfere
with memory for events
(c) Other
- use of hallucinogens (LSD) or stimulants (amphetamine/cocaine)
to cause changes in the victim"s mood or
behaviour
2 The
most common drugs used to spike drinks are Rohypnol
(flunitrazepam) and GHB, both of which are colourless
and tasteless. Both are sedatives, and are used to
induce stupor and compliance in victims for the purposes
of rape and/or sexual assault. These drugs have the
"advantage" of disturbing the victims memory
to the extent that they frequently cannot recall events.
3 Steroids
can cause violent or aggressive behaviour ("roid
rage"), their use and availability among UK drug
users is rare, and general use is confined to specific
groups including bodybuilders or gay men. Spiking
of food or drink can occur in order to cause a rival
athlete to fail a drugs test.
4 The
most common drug to induce bizarre behaviour or mood
is LSD, which has become less common in the UK over
recent years. However the drug is effective in microgram
doses, although as it normally appears on blotting
paper squares, spiking a drink would be difficult
to conceal. Liquid LSD has been found in eye-dropper
bottles. If a drink was spiked from such a source
it would be undetectable.
5 Amphetamine
is not commonly associated with spiking of drinks,
and there are a handful of such reports. However,
I was involved in a case of alleged spiking with amphetamine
some years ago, leading to uncharacteristic behaviour
on the part of that defendant. Amphetamine has a bitter
taste which would be detectable in some drinks, although
a bitter beer or lager could mask the flavour.
6 There
are also reports of drinks being spiked with ecstasy,
although a tablet (with e.g. chalk binder) would not
be likely to dissolve fully and thus be detectable.
MDMA can appear in powder form which could be used
to spike a drink.
