RANS Press Release
Published: November 13, 2026
Updated: November 13, 2026
Suspected drink tampering must be treated as a potential medical emergency and safety incident until appropriately assessed.
“The fault is on the person who tampers with the drink. It is a criminal offence and it is absolutely appalling behavior,” says Natasha Chestnut, RANS executive director.
Chestnut says establishments have policies and protocols in place to help combat this.
“Signage up that shares what the signs of drink tampering are, you know, maybe you have test strips on hand, having something like Narcan that you can administer if someone is showing that their drink has been tampered with and perhaps they’re unresponsive. These are all things that establishments are doing to help prevent and respond accordingly,” says Chestnut (Halifax bar speaking out after suspected drink tampering over weekend, CTV News).
The following resources are available to support operators on the best practices for preventing and/or responding to drink tampering.
Resources:
Recommended Best Practices for Operators – Drink Tampering
