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uk Personal safety & immediate danger

What to do if…
you suspect your drink or food has been tampered with or spiked

Produced and maintained by PanicStation.org Published: Last reviewed: Editorial policy UK guide

Short answer

Stop consuming it, move to a safer staffed place with someone you trust, and tell venue staff. If you feel unwell, unsafe, or not fully in control, get urgent help early.

Do not do these things

  • Do not keep drinking or eating it to check whether it is fine.
  • Do not taste-test it or ask someone else to try it.
  • Try not to stay alone, and do not leave with someone you do not fully trust.
  • Do not confront a suspected person by yourself or escalate the situation in the venue.
  • Do not drink more alcohol to steady yourself if you feel odd, dizzy, confused, sick, very sleepy, or much more intoxicated than expected.
  • Do not drive, cycle, or travel alone if you feel unwell or not fully alert.

What to do now

  1. Make a clean break: Put the drink or food down and stop consuming it. Move to a staffed, well-lit area such as the bar, reception, security point, welfare point, or front desk.
  2. Tell someone safe immediately: Tell a trusted friend, venue staff, security, or a manager: “My drink or food was left unattended and I do not feel safe consuming it. I need help staying safe.”
  3. Use discreet help if it is available: If the venue displays a code-phrase safety scheme, such as Ask for Angela, you can use it to ask staff for help without explaining everything in public.
  4. Do not reuse the item: Leave the drink or food aside. If you want a replacement, ask for a fresh drink opened or poured in front of you, a sealed bottle or can you open yourself, or a new dish. It is also fine to stop eating or drinking for now.
  5. Check symptoms and get help early: If you feel faint, dizzy, confused, sick, very sleepy, unable to speak clearly, poorly coordinated, unusually intoxicated, or you have memory gaps, ask staff or a trusted person to get medical help.
    • If you are in immediate danger, severely unwell, injured, or symptoms are getting worse: call 999.
    • If you need urgent medical advice and it is not an emergency: use NHS 111 in England or Wales, NHS 24 on 111 in Scotland, or GP out-of-hours in Northern Ireland. Call 999 if it becomes urgent.
  6. Ask staff to record and preserve what they can: Without investigating yourself, ask staff whether they can record your concern, set the drink or food aside, and preserve any relevant CCTV. You do not have to decide about reporting right now.
  7. If sexual assault may have happened: Prioritise immediate safety and medical care. When you are safe enough, you can contact a Sexual Assault Referral Centre or local sexual assault support service; NHS 111, NHS 24, GP out-of-hours, A&E, or police can help route you.
  8. Leave safely: Leave with a trusted person. If you are not fit to travel alone, ask staff to help you contact a trusted person, arrange safe transport, or call emergency help if needed.

What can wait

  • Deciding whether to make a formal police report.
  • Working out exactly what happened or who may have done something.
  • Posting about it or messaging people involved.
  • Making a complaint to the venue.
  • Deciding whether you should have noticed sooner.

Important reassurance

Feeling uneasy about an unattended drink or food is enough reason to stop and get help. You do not need to prove anything in the moment, and you are allowed to leave, ask for staff support, or seek medical help.

Scope note

These are first steps for the next minutes or hours. Later decisions, such as reporting, medical follow-up, sexual assault support, or a venue complaint, may need specialist help when you are safe enough.

Important note

This is general information, not medical, legal, therapeutic, or professional advice. If you are in immediate danger or severely unwell, call 999.

Additional Resources

Closely connected guides that may be useful during the same situation or its immediate aftermath.

About this guide

This guide was produced and is maintained by PanicStation.org using its published editorial process. Official and specialist sources are checked where relevant, and AI-assisted tools may be used for drafting, organisation, and consistency checks. The site operator remains responsible for publication, revision, and removal decisions.

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