Former Idols judge Mara Louw revealed in October she was told a contestant spiked her drink, after she was slurring and swearing and accused of being drunk on air. But knowing what happened to you and by whose hand when you are drugged is rare. If you've been roofied, the perpetrator usually looks to get away with it. So what should you do if you suspect your drink has been spiked?
It's critical to seek help as soon as you suspect that someone may have spiked your drink. Once mixed with alcohol, the effects of the drugs are amplified and can happen quickly — usually within 15 to 20 minutes.
Being "roofied" is the slang term for having the sedative Rohypnol — or any other narcotic,prescription painkiller and sedative — mixed into your drink without your knowledge, with the intention or rendering you unconscious. Rohypnol is also known as the "date rape" drug, as the intention of this act is can be sexual assault.
The symptoms of having ingested a spiked drink include feeling disorientated, hallucinating and vomiting. In extreme cases, a spiked drink could lead to death.
If you suspect you or someone you know has had their drink spiked, call an ambulance immediately on 10177 from a landline, or 112 from a cellphone.
If you're out with a group of friends, let someone know how you're feeling and ask them to stay with you until help arrives or you get assistance. If you are on your own, try to speak to the manager or — if you are able to — contact the police.
You will need to get medical attention as soon as possible and let the doctors know that you think your drink has been spiked. Blood and urine tests will usually be able to identify the drug in your system.
Treatment will vary depending on the symptoms each patient displays, and doctors will work to prevent further intoxication by pumping the patient's stomach or giving them active charcoal to bind the drug and keep it in the stomach and not be absorbed into the bloodstream.
You may need to stay in hospital for observation, and once the drug has passed through your system you may be left with an extreme hangover the next day.
Spiking someone's drink is a crime. If you've managed to keep your unfinished drink as evidence and if there is surveillance footage available of the incident, it may be possible to find the perpetrator and lay charges with the police, but these actions can only take place after the fact.
Unfortunately, there is no sure way to prevent a predatory person from spiking your drink in the first place, and people should just stop spiking drinks. But while none of this is in your control, the best practices for you will be to remain vigilant, make sure you don't leave your drink unattended and trust your friends to look out for you.