Two recent cases of suspected drink spiking in downtown Halifax have prompted police to warn people to be cautious and aware of the risks.
Halifax Regional Police says in both cases over the weekend, the women became ill and showed signs of impairment after drinking a small amount of alcohol. Both women needed medical attention.
“It is a crime to administer a noxious substance, they would face criminal charges,” spokesperson Const. Martin Cromwell said about anyone who spikes a drink.
Natasha Chestnut, executive director of the Restaurant Association of Nova Scotia, says it’s important for establishments and consumers to protect themselves and be mindful of the dangers.
“As much as establishments can do on their end to ensure safety, there’s always going to be those individuals out there that do bad things — and drink tampering is one of those,” she said.
She adds that while it’s difficult to identify a spiked drink, there can be subtle signs.
“A lot of times, if a drink has been tampered with, it’s odourless, it’s colourless, it’s tasteless, so it can be hard to detect,” she said.
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“But in some cases, if one has been tampered with, it will be like a cloudiness or fizziness that’s out of character for that particular drink. So again, that’s where (you have to) trust your gut.”
Other tips include covering your drink with a coaster, ordering drinks with a smaller opening, such as bottles or cans, and avoiding accepting drinks from strangers.
People are also advised to monitor friends’ behaviours during a night out for sudden changes and to keep an eye on their drinks.
Drink tampering is a problem not just in Nova Scotia but across the country. Elsewhere in the Atlantic region, New Brunswick’s Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) program says getting medical help is important if drink tampering is suspected.
“If someone suddenly feels dizzy, disoriented, very drowsy, confused or in a state that does not match what they consumed, they should seek help from someone they trust, avoid being left alone and go to the emergency department as soon as possible,” SANE said in a statement.
“In an immediate emergency, they should call 911.”
Keeping the evidence can also help.
“Staff need to be notified immediately. The priority is always going to be medical attention for the individual. (Then), making sure the drink is set aside in case they need to do testing,” said Chestnut.
Police say both cases over the weekend are still being investigated but it’s not believed they’re connected to each other.
Const. Cromwell says it’s also important for people to report any suspected tampering to police “so that we can begin an investigation and hopefully prevent somebody else from being affected.”
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