Drugs and spiking in St Andrews

[sweet]

Hi,

I'm writing on spiking and also voluntary drug (ab)use for the freshers pack (spiking info on the back of loo doors too), and interested in your experiences of both.

What do you think? Have you/any of your mates been spiked?

I'm also interested in what you know of drug abuse in St Andys, obviously not condoned by the union or the sinner or the university in any way but I'd be interested if you have anything to say.

You might want to take note of point 6 of terms and conditions before you reply.

[Paranoid]

Having now graduated I have to say I have never come across any problems with people spiking drinks in St.A, only once about a year ago did a mate of mine get spiked whilst in Fat Sam's in Dundee and thus ended up in hospital.

Although I'll never condone its use, I think the level of awareness that the St.A union has used in the past is a bit unneccessary, but then I may be wrong in thinking that it isnt a problem in St.A?


As for other drug use, yes it exists in the student population, I mean in my first year I remember the occupants of a certain hall complaining of very little sleep in freshers week due to people smoking joints in the corridors and setting off fire alarms. But again, to call it drug abuse (and it tends to be cannibis and the more milder drugs) is a bit extreme...I have never come across empty syringe's or anything of that sort (thank god!)

[hr]

..I've got this pain down all the diodes on my left side...

[rob 'f*ck off' wine boy]

Quoting Paranoid from 19:20, 29th Jun 2005
I have never come across empty syringe's or anything of that sort (thank god!)

[hr]

I hide them well, y'see

[David Bean]

I also think that it's a good idea to raise awareness of spiking in general, because even if it didn't go on in St Andrews at all, people aren't going to be here for their whole lives, and it's probably something we ought to let them know about, just in case.

So far as drugs are concerned, I don't know anyone who can exactly be said to 'abuse' illegal drugs as such, though I do know a lot of recreational cannabis users. I think we need to be careful not to take too moralistic an approach towards this sort of thing, since most will have had drugs education in school already, and will feel as though they're ready to make their own minds up by this stage in their lives, and that it is their choice to make, irrespective of what the law has to say on the subject.

[niall]

Quoting David Bean from 23:53, 29th Jun 2005
I also think that it's a good idea to raise awareness of spiking in general, because even if it didn't go on in St Andrews at all, people aren't going to be here for their whole lives, and it's probably something we ought to let them know about, just in case.

very true, was in my local on saturday night and tho most people in were regulars, there was a group of people that nobody recognised and the manager beleives there were a few drinks spiked.



[hr]

do you have a tastyspoon?

http://www.tastyspoon.com/forum

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[rae]

A friend of mine got her drink spiked when we were in St Andrews - I think she was at a house party. She was in a terrible state and it was made even worse by the fact that she's asthmatic - roofies can trigger asthmatic attacks and nearly did in her case.

[hr]

In America they think 100 years is old and in Britain they think 100 miles is far.

[sweet]

Thanks for your replies so far!

While St Andrews is relatively safe, and we don't want to scare anyone, it's good to know the facts and what to do.

I didn't mean to sound moralistic, just trying to be careful - don't want any trouble! Perhaps the term "abuse" implied a moral judgement - I didn't intend this.

The drugs entry will be an impartial presentation of facts - legal classification, effects, and possible dangers of commonly used drugs.

Spiking - drugs used, their effects, how to tell if you may have been spiked, what to do, useful further information and contacts. This is not a problem specific to St Andrews, and the risk is low, but I still think the above information would be useful.

Keep it coming...

[Paranoid]

Ah ok! Well then yes I totally agree with what your planning, especially the effects to look out for when you think your drink has been spiked!

The way I read your original post was that you were making an investigative report into St.A's dark alleyways...

[hr]

..I've got this pain down all the diodes on my left side...

[sweet]

[quote]Quoting Paranoid from 18:07, 30th Jun 2005
Ah ok! Well then yes I totally agree with what your planning, especially the effects to look out for when you think your drink has been spiked!

The way I read your original post was that you were making an investigative report into St.A's dark alleyways...

[hr]

Oops. Really, I quite enjoy abusing the odd gin. Also, the machines in tescos (but only verbally).
Anyways, by abuse I just meant any non-medical use of drugs, although on second thoughts it also has a more hardcore connotation which I didn't mean to imply.

An investigative report might be interesting, but for the Saint not me (in fact they've already written on these issues I think); I'm just trying to get a realisitic picture. This would be for me to keep in the back of my head when writing this thing, rather than for direct inclusion. At the moment, I think the most important substances to include are alcohol, marijuana, LSD, mushrooms, nitrites/poppers, cocaine, heroin, esctasy, amphetamines, and heroin. Really I think (but could be wrong) people are most likely to come across the first two, and maybe cocaine, but it's good to know the facts on the others anyway. Is there anything I've missed that you think should be included?

As for spiking, I believe that GHB is more commonly used in the UK than Rohypnol/roofies, am I wrong in anyone's experience?

Anyways research has just begun, I'll be very careful to get things right and checked before printing.

[sweet]

Quoting Paranoid from 18:07, 30th Jun 2005
Ah ok! Well then yes I totally agree with what your planning, especially the effects to look out for when you think your drink has been spiked!

The way I read your original post was that you were making an investigative report into St.A's dark alleyways...

[hr]

Oops. Really, I quite enjoy abusing the odd gin. Also, the machines in tescos (but only verbally).
Anyways, by abuse I just meant any non-medical use of drugs, although on second thoughts it also has a more hardcore connotation which I didn't mean to imply.

An investigative report might be interesting, but for the Saint not me (in fact they've already written on these issues I think); I'm just trying to get a realisitic picture. This would be for me to keep in the back of my head when writing this thing, rather than for direct inclusion. At the moment, I think the most important substances to include are alcohol, marijuana, LSD, mushrooms, poppers, cocaine, heroin, ecstasy, and amphetamines. Really I think (but could be wrong) people are most likely to come across the first two, and maybe cocaine, but it's good to know the facts on the others anyway. Is there anything I've missed that you think should be included?

As for spiking, I believe that GHB is more commonly used in the UK than Rohypnol/roofies, am I wrong in anyone's experience?

Anyways research has just begun, I'll be very careful to get things right and checked before printing.

[Midget]

I have never encountered any spiking, but in terms of drug use its prevalent but most people seem capable of not going too far. I smoke a bit, and have used mushrooms which were legal at the time. Mushrooms are great, just once a year maybe for some real trippiness and having really really open conversations.

I think alcohol causes the most problems in St Andrews in all fairness, not that I'm going to stop drinking, but I am cutting down.

[hr]

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[Guest]

I think information about how you know your drink has been spiked and especially what to do would be useful - not only to freshers. I will be in my final year in September and I am sometimes wondering what I would do if I ended up in the union or some pub on my own, without a group of good friends to turn to and would start to feel trippy and drugged... so maybe this is worth being put on the wednesday memos or somewhere else people actually read...