Spiking at Molly Malone’s

Emily Campbell

Early on this past month, a concerned parent took to Facebook to share her concern regarding her daughter and her friends getting their drinks spiked at Molly Malone’s pub on Market Street. While the overall consensus is that St Andrews is a usually safe town – whether that be feeling safe to walk home late at night or feel safe showing up to the pub on your own – this doesn’t mean that there isn’t any risk when doing so. The parent’s post ended up sparking comments from multiple others in the group sharing similar experiences and concerns from around town. While these specific claims of spiking took place recently, this is unfortunately not a new issue for our town. In 2022, St Andrews police investigated over seven allegations of spiking in one month alone (Daily Mail).  

Source: St Andrews Visitor Guide

So what is spiking? Spiking can include many things, but is mainly defined as: 

1. Putting alcohol into someone’s drink without their consent

2. Putting prescription or illegal drugs into someone’s drink or food without their consent

3. Or, injecting someone with drugs or other substances without their consent (GOV.UK) 

Side-effects can include anything from disorientation and confusion, to vomiting, paranoia, inability to communicate, and even memory loss or blackouts. And while some of these might seem similar to the impacts of alcohol in larger quantities, the impacts of spiking are usually felt in a way that would not be expected from the amount drunk purposefully. It can take around 15-30 minutes for the effects of a drug to be noticeable, but those side effects be felt anywhere from 12-72 hours before the drug fully leaves your system.  

Some ways to tell that your drink has been spiked. (Source: Loughborough University)

Drinkaware, a charity organization, aimed at helping reduce alcohol-related harm, runs a monitor within the UK every year for alcohol-related issues. In the 2025 Monitor, they have found that over 3% of people in the UK  between the ages of 18-34, have been a victim of spiking within this past year. This means that over one million people in the UK alone have been impacted by this issue. They also reported that of these cases, only 23% ended up reported to police (Drinkaware). 

If you suspect that you or someone you know has been spiked, there are many things you can do in order to get help. While the first thing that you might want to do is panic, instead, stay with the people you came with and try to get somewhere safe. Next, either try to find a member of security or staff if you are at a bar or club; they will be able to help you find a safe place. Finally, call 999 or the University of St Andrews Security and Response team to come aid you. You or your friend might need medical attention. Medical staff and police will also be better equipped to help you get tested or assisted further for common spiking drugs (GOV.UK). 

Another thing that you can do if you feel unsafe at a bar or club is “Ask For Angela”, an initiative throughout parts of Scotland that allows you to discretely tell staff that you feel unsafe and would like to be assisted to a safe location (Ask For Angela).

Sourc: Getty Images / iStockPhoto

Here are some simple, but important ways to prevent possible cases of spiking: 

1. Do not leave your drinks unattended

2. Only accept drinks that you watched be prepared

3. Do not accept drinks from strangers

4. Keep an eye on your friends and your surroundings

5. Avoid sharing drinks with others

But remember, this is uni and you should still have fun. Just be vigilant.