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BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — As hundreds of thousands of college students begin to settle in Boston, police are reaching out to students to warn and remind them about the dangers of spiked drinks.
Back in May, Boston Police issued a warning about a rise in spiked drinks after numerous people spoke out on social media about their experiences at bars across the city. Drugs like Rohypnol, commonly known as roofies, are tasteless, scentless, and colorless and can cause a victim to be disoriented or confused, can induce temporary paralysis, and knock them unconscious.
"That for sure crosses my mind," one Boston College student told WBZ's James Rojas. "It's actually really scary going to college and just how common that is."
Boston Police remind students to make sure their drinks are being made by a server or bartender and not someone they don't know. Students should also watch their drinks at all times and never leave them unattended. BPD also recommends students take their drinks to the bathroom with them if necessary.
"That's why I always make sure my drink is either in my hand and if I lose it then I just deal with the fact that I lost it," another student said. "I don't want to risk getting spiked."
BPD encourages students to look out for each other by practicing the buddy system, something many students said they always practice.
"Usually I'll keep an eye on [my friends] for a little bit and if I feel like it doesn't look right or if they kind of give me a look that it's not right then I'll usually just dance and pull them in to dance and get them away from the guy," one student said.
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There are also several methods to cover drinks or detect if a drink has been spiked, including test strips or special types of nail polish that change color when common drugs are detected in a drink. Boston Police urges anyone who feels dizzy, nauseous, light-headed, or strange in someone after drinking their drink to immediately reach out for help.
WBZ's James Rojas (@JamesRojasNews) reports.
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