Tullamore man joins initiative focused on detecting drink spiking

A Tullamore man has joined a ground breaking initiative focused on detecting the growing incidence of drink spiking.

Thomas McLoughlin, is collaborating in the project which was developed by a mother and entrepreneur Katie Barrington.

In 2014 Richard, Katie’s husband and solicitor, grew alarmed at the increased number of drink spiking incidents appearing on his desk, and encouraged Katie to create a spiking test.

Their children were of an age where they were enjoying socialising and Katie and Richard felt the need to protect their children against becoming victims of the crime.

CYD (Check Your Drink) was developed, tested and launched, providing a necessary safeguard against opportunistic drink spiking attacks.

''As a mam, daughter, wife, colleague and friend, it is easy to be overwhelmed thinking about constantly being on the defensive, looking over your shoulder for someone that may intend to do harm. Until recently, I was oblivious to a solution for detecting if a drink was spiked with drugs most commonly used in these types of attacks,'' said Katie.

CYD is easy to use, discreet and yet extremely powerful. Check Your Drink comes in a credit card sized pouch containing 5 test strips. Each test is a thin sliver of plastic, with two test blocks on it, yellow and pink in colour. The blocks detect the harmful chemicals

Ketamine and GHB (Gamma-hydroxybutyrate), are most frequently used in drink spiking attacks. Both drugs were initially developed as anaesthetics, with a sinister overlap when used on victims of drink spiking.

Victims of GHB attacks feel a sense of euphoria, reduced inhibitions and drowsiness and often report short term amnesia and unconsciousness. Ketamine victims report experiencing hallucinations, paralysis and loss of feeling and short-term amnesia. Scarily, both drugs are odourless, colourless and tasteless.

CYD provides the user with a discreet way to test a drink for the presence of either GHB or Ketamine, and it is simple.

According to Thomas McLoughlin, '' you simply place one drop of your drink on the yellow and pink test blocks. If either of the test blocks changes colour, the drink has been spiked. The results appear instantly, empowering the user with immediate knowledge of whether they are safe or not. Conveniently, the pouch fits neatly into a wallet or handbag, and can be used whenever the need arises.''

The product is being distributed by NeutraPharma Europe Limited.

The reported incidence in which an injured party claimed to have had their drinks spiked has risen dramatically in Ireland, nearly nine times higher than figures reported in 2020 - an issue raised by Minister for Justice Simon Harris in the Dáil earlier in the year.

According to Thomas McLoughlin, ''there is not a stereotypical drink spiking victim - we are not safe in the belief that because we don't have an avid nightlife, frequent clubs or drink cocktails that we are protected.''

Results published in the 2022 Global Drug Survey Interim findings showed that men and women both fall foul of drink spiking attacks, and while many incidents occur in venues, nearly a fifth of reported incidents occur in a private home, and one in four attacks were carried out by someone known to the victim.

''We as human beings love to be in company- it is an inbuilt part of our evolutionary makeup. This desire to be social equally increases our vulnerability to drink-spiking,'' said Thomas McLoughlin.