Safety Tips After 2 Maine Women Claim They Were Drugged At a Bar

Portland Police are investigating after two women claimed to have been drugged while drinking in the Old Port portion of the city.

Were the Women Drinking in the Same Bar?

Officials say they received the two reports on Thursday from two different women who said they had been drinking at the same establishment. Each woman said they believed they had been drugged while drinking alcohol. Now, police are reviewing video from the business's surveillance cameras to determine what may have happened.

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What are the Warning Signs that Could Suggest You've Been Drugged?

When someone is drugged in this manner, police say they suddenly feel extremely impaired in a way that was not consistent with how much alcohol they have consumed. They become disoriented, feel nauseous, and suffer memory loss for a significant period of time. It will take them hours to recover from the effects of the drugs. And once they do start feeling like themselves again, they won't know what happened to them during the time they were 'out.'

How Can We Protect Ourselves?

Portland Police have provided some tips to keep in mind when going out for the evening:

• Never walk away and leave your drink unattended. Keep it in your hand and don't share it with another person, especially someone you don't know.
• Don't accept a drink from someone that you don't know. If you do accept a drink, make sure to order it yourself, watch the bartender pour it, and have them hand it directly to you.
• Avoid going out alone. Go with friends, stick together, and watch out for each other. There truly is safety in numbers. If something doesn't seem right with you or the person you're with, get to a safe place and seek medical attention, if it's needed.
• If you believe you or someone you're with has been drugged, seek immediate medical treatment. Be honest with the medical staff about what you think may have happened so they know to test for drugs.

It's something my parents always warned me about when they realized that I was going out to a local bar to dance. As a typical young person, I thought they were just trying to scare me so I wouldn't go out as much. But, of course, they were right to be concerned. Isn't that always the way with kids and their parents?