Venue to Trial Anti-Spiking Kits

The club scene is important to students on campus, allowing them to let off steam, but it comes with its threats; one of the scariest of which is having your drink spiked. To counter such a serious threat, and to make the club safer, Kent Union have announced a new pilot scheme, allocating 500 drink spiking detection tests to Venue over the summer term as part of their Zero Tolerance campaign.

Spiked drinks can incur loss of balance, visual impairment, nausea, vomiting, and most disturbingly, loss of consciousness. Considering the nature of drinking, however, everyone’s symptoms may be different based on several factors.

If you think your drink has been spiked, immediately make someone you trust aware of what has happened. The kits are being held under review for the next academic year, but once the drink spiking detection kits are implemented, you’ll be able to test your drink and find out.These detection kits have the potential to prevent countless criminal acts and will make clubbing and partying safer for students. Tests will be carried out randomly by staff, and your drinks may be replaced for no additional cost.

Whilst summer term is expected to be quieter than fall term due to exams, the scheme is expected to be put into action at Summer Ball 2018, an event that could be pivotal in deciding if the kits will be used next year.

A usual kit will consist of an object that can be placed into the drink that will react, in some way, to any drugs that have been added e.g. straws that change colour. Despite this speculation, it is currently unclear what kit will be used at Venue.

Drink spiking is a serious crime, but neither the police nor the University record statistics on it. This makes it challenging to evaluate the its severity and prevalence, however, this attempt by the Union to prevent the practice is recognition of the problem at hand and a start to making the university night life safer.