The Warehouse Project is offering urine tests for spiking victims

News

Manchester’s Warehouse Project will offer urine testing kits for attendees who suspect they have been spiked.

The news comes amid an alarming rise in cases of spiking, as well as reports of injected date rape drugs such as Rohypnol and GHB in recent months.

According to a report by the Independent, the Warehouse Project is set to become the first venue to offer the tests to clubbers. “Our medics actually bought kits last week,” said the club’s founder Sacha Lord. “It’s a little like a pregnancy kit, if I’m being honest. You can take a urine sample and tell exactly what is in that.”

“We’ve got a real education job to do here,” he added. “Ultimately, I just don’t think it’s right that a woman should feel protected by a bottle top on the right out. I’d urge anyone, if you know anybody that does this sort of thing — it’s a disgrace, they need calling out.”

Late last month, National Police Chiefs’ Council recently revealed that almost 200 cases of drink spiking had taken place in the UK throughout September and October. The country’s biggest operator of nightclubs, Rekom UK, has since introduced protective drink covers and full-body searches on entry at various venues.

Last month, a petition demanding an “urgent” review of laws and education around drink spiking in the UK was launched on Change.org. The campaign, I’ve Been Spiked, now needs 100,000 signatures in order to reach parliamentary debate.

The Night Time Industries Association also recently called for a Home Office inquiry into drink spiking in response to an increase in reports. CEO Michael Kill said: “The NTIA are very concerned to learn about the reported increase in the number of spiking incidents taking place across the country. We support all those coming forward to speak about their experiences.”