How Kamloops bartenders keep an eye out for drugged drinks

Police warned the public of a rash of spiked drinks at Kamloops bars this week, catching a local club owner by surprise.

David “Pup” Johnston said claims of tampered drinks are common, but in his experience, they’re rarely nefarious, if they happened at all.

“About 90 per cent of the claims of drugging are accidental or self-inflicted. Like doing drugs with a trusted friend, then not being entirely sure of the toxicity of the drugs you’re taking,” he said. “And the last 10 per cent are inconclusive.”

Kamloops RCMP said four people came forward to say they believed they were drugged at downtown bars in a span of four days last month. Police didn’t say at which bars the suspected druggings happened, but they did say the people weren’t victim to any further crimes.

Johnston, who owns both the Blue Grotto and Night Shift on Fifth, said the news release came as a surprise.

“If we were suspicious of somebody, we would probably take some extreme measures and we would contact police,” he said. “This does so much damage to the industry, but most of these cases turn out to be a wild goose chase.”

Staff do have tools at their disposal and watch for nefarious behaviour in the bars, he said.

Though they aren’t used often, there are test kits at both bars available to test drinks for drug contamination. Staff search for drugs upon entry at both bars and kick people out who manage to sneak them in, while cameras monitor movements throughout the establishments.

According to Johnston, there is rarely, if ever, evidence someone drugged another person. People who claim to have been drugged might often have taken drugs on their own and underestimated the effect or forgotten, he said.

Often dubbed the “date-rape” drug, GHB is frequently what comes to mind when drinks might have been spiked. It’s colourless, odorless and makes a victim feel sleepy, or even make them unconscious. But, it can also be used for its euphoric effects.

“Let’s be honest about GHB, it’s a party drug,” he said. “So, is it possible people are self-inflicting? We’ve had a couple of those.”

He did say, however, he takes the claims seriously when they are levied and, in the case of the current police investigation, let officers scan camera footage. Nothing conclusive was found, he said.

“That risks sounding like victim-blaming, and that’s certainly not a road I want to go down,” Johnston said. “We do everything we can to keep people safe, but people aren’t always of their best judgement when they go out… So, that’s why we cut people off, we try to make sure people have safe rides home, and that’s why, when we see a girl being walked out of a bar with a guy holding her up, we question that.”

While police did not say what drugs might have been used, they suggested several precautions for people to take when drinking in a public setting.

Kamloops RCMP suggested not to leave drinks unattended or accept them from strangers. They also suggested to stay close to trusted friends and seek medical attention if one suspects they’ve been drugged.

The four people, some male and some female, reported “symptoms consistent with being drugged,” and one reported their drink had an unusual taste after meeting an unknown man, shortly before the symptoms set on.