With the new school year starting this fall, hundreds of thousands of college students will be coming back to Boston. Therefore, the college bar scene will be back up and running in no time. This is typically an exciting time for students to meet up with their friends and enjoy a fun night on the town. However, the Boston Police Department, along with many bars and restaurant owners, are worried about a troubling trend of spiked drinks being reported all around the city.
The Boston Globe had conducted a public record request from the Boston Police Department which revealed that between April 10 and June 4 of 2022, the BPD received a dozen reports of drinks being spiked, and the instances haven’t stopped since then.
A credited Facebook group called Booze in Boston provides reports on date rape drug incidences occurring in and around the Boston area. The group compiled a list of over 70 restaurants, clubs and bars around Massachusetts that have reported patrons with spiked drinks. The city’s establishments with multiple spike reports from Booze in Boston’s list include Mariel, Lookout Rooftop, Lorretas, Stats Bar and Grille and Big Night Live.
The most common drugs criminals use to spike drinks are sodium gamma-hydroxybutyrate, rohypnol and ketamine. These drugs are extremely hard to detect and often come up negative when using a store-bought drug testing kit. Due to the difficulty of detecting these drugs, the spike allegations are nearly impossible for investigators to prove.
BPD has released a list of symptoms that a person may experience when under the influence of these drugs. The symptoms include, “disorientation, confusion, temporary paralysis and unconsciousness.” Many individuals also reported feeling very ill before they black out and cannot recall events that occurred when they later regain consciousness.
Criminals spike drinks because it’s extremely easy to get the upper hand once someone is under the influence. This tactic is used by criminals to rob, kidnap, sexually assault and rape victims. Criminals can get away with these crimes while the victims have no memory of the robbing or attacks, which makes the use of these drugs so popular.
But how can bargoers and students stay safe from such undetectable drugs? Substance awareness websites such as AlcoholThinkAgain have a great list of ways to stay vigilant while going out. The list includes tips such as going out with at least one other friend, not accepting drinks from strangers, always purchasing your drink and watching as the drink is being poured, never leaving your drink unattended. and throwing your drink away if it tastes odd.
Many bars and restaurants in Boston now have the option for customers to request plastic lids to put over their drinks due to the increased use of these drugs. However, if an establishment doesn’t offer lids, companies such as NightCap have created scrunchies with a built-in cover for any size drink. The scrunchies can be found on Amazon for a very affordable price, or they can be purchased from NightCap directly.
While the Boston night scene is truly one of a kind, it’s crucial to be aware and vigilant while drinking at bars, clubs and restaurants. Taking necessary precautions is vital to having a memorable night with friends. Boston has so much to offer and it’s important to stay safe while exploring the city, whether for the first time or for the hundredth time.