27th August 2026
New figures show a rise in spiking figures: over 30% of those spiked are male and there is a worrying increase in vape and e-liquid spiking. As incidences of spiking have increased significantly in 2025, raising awareness and how to report and support has never been more important.
National UK police data and regional figures from 2025 show that spiking reports have risen significantly, with roughly 9,000 cases reported across the UK. Male victims now make up at least a third of all spiking offences reported to the police. Freedom of Information data covering 36 UK forces indicated that 33% to 36% of reported spiking victims in 2025 were male, continuing a steady upward trend from previous years according to the BBC.
Shockingly, Adina Mihai and Madalin Dumitru from Essex were jailed for 17 years in August for drugging four men to steal from them, two of whom died.
Primary Demographic: Women still comprise the majority of reports (around two-thirds), with victims skewing younger, averaging around 27 years of age.
Vape Spiking: Police forces have highlighted a rising trend in non-drink spiking, specifically the lacing or spiking of vapes and cigarettes with substances or cannabis derivatives. Legislative Shifts: Spiking became a specific standalone criminal offence under recent legislative movements in England and Wales, aiding police forces like the Metropolitan Police in running specialised awareness and detection operations in major nightlife hubs, however, levels of prosecutions and charges remain low. One in 20 London spiking incidents leads to a charge - BBC News
The Talk About Trust charity continues to work closely with the Home Office, police, medics and the night time economy to try to reduce the incidences of spiking of all kinds and improve outcomes for victims. As part of our work, we are able to offer posters and awareness cards free of charge. These are perfect for school sixth forms and also colleges and universities for freshers' events! We also have pdf advice, an SMS messaging service and student-facing advice on our website Life Stuff . Read on for full details.
Posters We are able to provide 10 copies of three different spiking posters free of charge. These are really eye-catching and contain useful information on how to report and support as well as general safety advice.
Awareness cards You can order 500 free handy credit card size awareness cards which are perfect to keep in a purse or wallet and include details on what to do if someone suspects they have been spiked and useful contacts. It also contains a QR code linking to our Life Stuff website for young people which provides further support around the prevalence of spiking, how to prevent it and what to do if things go wrong. Please order your resources via kate@talkabouttrust.org.
