In several cities in France, young people report having had the feeling of stings in the arm, thigh, buttocks during evenings in a nightclub or at a festival. You have to react quickly. Drugs, effects, HIV, hepatitis B, prevention… Advice with Dr. Leila Chaouachi, pharmacist at the addiction-vigilance center in Paris.
[Mise à jour le 3 mai 2022 à 14h33] The testimonies are multiplying. Valence, Montpellier, Toulouse, Perigueux, Grenoble, Rennes, Nantes, Béziers… Since March 2022, dozens of young people, men and women, say they have been stung at nightclubs or festivals. Several victims have lodged a complaint and surveys are in progress to find the person(s) responsible and discover the injected substance. “I felt like a sting (…). In a few minutes my head was spinning, then I felt unwell. Very quickly, I no longer felt any limbs but I never lost consciousness” told Arthur on April 20, 2022 to our colleagues from Free lunch. The trail of GHB (also called “rape drug”) is issued but the analyzes carried out on the victims have not made it possible to find any trace of it. It could be other products. Victims did not report robbery, assault, sexual abuse or rape. After their declarations, several made a HIV testing to check for possible contamination and were placed on preventive treatments. From similar facts of “bites” in nightclubs have been reported end of 2021 in several regions ofEngland. In October, the British police reportedly received, according to AFP, 140 reports of incidents involving drugged drinks (especially with GHB) and 24 involving bites. A petition has collected more than 160,000 signatures to ask the English government to make thorough searches compulsory at the entrance to night establishments. What to do if you think you’ve been stung at a party ? What are the good actions in prevention ? Tips.
#Vigilance | In the evening and in festive places, remain vigilant against the risk of wild bites. If you think you are a victim, file a complaint with the police station or the gendarmerie brigade. pic.twitter.com/XDOYMGaNWF
– Ministry of the Interior (@Interieur_Gouv) April 28, 2022
What are injection drugs?
“All kinds of substances can be injected, from psychoactive drugs to illicit drugs” Dr. Leila Chaouachi, pharmacist at the addiction-vigilance center in Paris and national expert on the chemical submission survey to the ANSM, explains to us from the outset.
“A feeling of drunkenness too fast with regard to consumption should alert”
“The GHB is on everyone’s lips but be careful not to focus only on this substancecontinues our interlocutor. We are looking for the maximum number of substances so as not to miss another chemical submission agent.”
What are the effects after being bitten?
feelings of unease, dizziness, hot flashes, “black holes”, nausea, amnesia or behavior disorder are reported by the victims. But not everyone necessarily feels the sting: some notice a trace of sting after the effects, others do not. The effects are variable. They depend on the product injected, the dose administered and are specific to each individual. “Unusual behavior, a feeling of drunkenness too fast with regard to consumption should alert” warns Dr. Chaouachi. The person does not feel well even though they have had little or no alcohol.
“Every minute counts”
What to do if you think you’ve been bitten in a nightclub?
React immediately because “every minute counts” insists Dr. Leila Chaouachi. “You have to react immediately to avoid loss of evidence (traces of bites, detection of a substance, editor’s note) and also to protect against the risk of infection.
► Go to a police station or the gendarmerie to file a complaint as soon as possible: “The filing of a complaint will allowbe examined by a forensic pathologist who observes the injuries before they resorb (traces of injection, bruises), objective and performs emergency blood and urine samples to detect a possible substance. The filing of a complaint allows all the toxicological examinations and analyzes to be covered by the legal costs. explains Dr. Chaouachi.
► If the person does not wish to file a complaint, they must go to the nearest emergency services or to CEGIDD (Free information, screening and diagnosis centre) within 48 hours to have the possibility of receiving treatment against the risk of infection (HIV prophylaxis (PreP) for example). “In the various communications, we essentially hear about the risk associated with HIV even though the risk of contamination by the hepatitis B virus is much greater, emphasizes Dr. Chaouachi. Check your serology for hepatitis B is paramount. Without falling into psychosis, it is important to protect yourself.”
In festive evening, public or private “watch your glass, avoid drinking from another person’s glass or a drink that has not been served in front of you, designate a team captain who can watch over the group” advises our interlocutor.
“When you go out, you have to stay close to your friends, not disassociate yourself from the group”
In the specific framework of stings, paying attention to his glass is not enough. “When you go out, you have to stay close to your friends, not dissociate yourself from the group and have the reflex to call the emergency services right away if you see that a friend is in a daze, advises our interlocutor. The united vigilance seems the best bulwark against crime. In front of any person who is likely to be in distress, whether they have used substances voluntarily or not, assist him.”
Thanks to Dr Leila Chaouachi, pharmacist at the addiction-vigilance center in Paris and national expert on the “Chemical Submission” survey with the ANSM.
Source: AFP.