There are also a heap of other risks associated with taking drugs and alcohol. These include:

 

• Drink driving and road accidents
• Fights
• Criminal activity

And then there are the hangovers, vomiting, head spins and passing out which all come with drinking too much and taking drugs.

 

Unfortunately you don't even have to be drinking alcohol for this to happen to you. There are some people out there who spike drinks with "date rape" drugs like Rohypnol or GHB and then sexually assault their victims while they are incapacitated.

 

Not only are these drugs tasteless and odourless, but they can cause memory loss so that the victim has no idea what happened the night before. And it's not just women who are victims, men have also been date raped.

 

Protecting yourself from drink spiking

 

Follow these tips to make sure you protect yourself from drugs or alcohol being slipped into your drink:

 

• Don’t leave your drink unattended
• Don’t accept drinks from strangers
• If a stranger offers to buy you a drink, go to the bar with them and collect it yourself
• If your drink doesn’t seem right, don’t drink it
• Don’t drink anything you didn’t see being opened or poured
• If you feel dizzy or sick, ask someone you trust to take you to a safe place. If you are alone, ask the bar staff or manager
• If you can, drink out of bottles or cans rather than glasses – they are harder to slip stuff into.

Safe drug and alcohol use

 

Of course the safest thing is not to use alcohol and drugs! But, if you choose to do it, here are some general tips to stay safe:

 

• It is your choice, not someone else's! Don't feel pressured into drinking or using anything.
• Find out about it first. Do some research and know what the effects are likely to be.
• Never share injecting equipment with anyone.
• Never try to drive or operate machinery after taking a drug or drinking.
• Don't be pressured into drinking more or taking more of a drug because others are doing it. If you feel you've had enough, STOP.
• If someone collapses, get help urgently - call an ambulance. Give the ambulance staff or doctors honest information about any drugs or alcohol taken.

If you have any questions about drugs sex and alcohol that we haven't answered here, why not contact us or go to the Help and Advice page. Your call will be treated anonymously and in confidence. Alternatively, check out Somazone (www.somazone.com.au). Somazone provides fast, free, anonymous access to quality assured information. A program of the Australian Drug Foundation, Somazone is a valuable resource for young people.