PRESS RELEASE: Drinkaware and Spike Aware UK Partner to Raise Awareness of Drink Spiking During Freshers’ Week
22 September 2025 – Drinkaware, the UK’s leading alcohol education charity, has partnered with Spike Aware UK to raise awareness of drink spiking among students at universities and colleges across Scotland.The partnership comes as the latest Drinkaware 2025 Monitor reveals that 1.5% of adults in Scotland – approximately 67,000 people – reported being a victim of drink spiking in the past year.
Freshers’ Week activity
As part of the campaign, Drinkaware and Spike Aware UK will attend 15 Freshers’ Fairs across Scotland, where they will:
- Host stands providing information and advice on drink spiking
- Distribute educational resources and safety tools
- Engage directly with students to raise awareness of the risks and how to respond
Research findings
The Drinkaware 2025 Monitor – the UK’s only nationally representative annual survey of drinking behaviour – highlights the scale of the issue:
- 91% of adults in Scotland believe drink spiking most often involves adding illegal drugs to drinks without consent.
- 80% recognise that spiking can also involve adding alcohol to a non-alcoholic drink without the person’s knowledge.
- Almost half (47%) of people spiked in the UK in the past year were aged 18–34.
Quotes
Karen Tyrell, CEO of Drinkaware, said:
“Spiking can happen to anyone, anywhere, but our data shows that nearly half of the people spiked in the UK in the last year were aged 18–34. That’s why we’ve partnered with Spike Aware UK to raise awareness of this serious crime with students as they begin university life during Freshers’ Week.Parents also have an important role to play. Making sure they have the right information is a great place to start – the Drinkaware website is a valuable resource.”
Colin and Mandy Mackie, Founders of Spike Aware UK, said:
“We started Spike Aware UK so no other family has to experience what we went through. This partnership with Drinkaware helps us reach more students with the tools and knowledge they need to stay safe. Having the opportunity to talk directly to young people about their experiences and offer advice is incredibly important, especially during this formative time in their lives.”
Background
- Spike Aware UK was founded in 2017 by Colin and Mandy Mackie, following the tragic death of their son Greg after his drink was spiked. The charity campaigns to prevent drink and needle spiking across the UK and supports those affected.
- In 2024, Drinkaware and Anglia Ruskin University published research into drink spiking which found that only one in ten incidents are reported to police.
- Drinkaware was subsequently invited to a government roundtable at Number 10 Downing Street, attended by the Prime Minister, police chiefs, industry leaders, and other charities, including Spike Aware UK.