In the dim lights of a Nashville bar or the buzz of a dorm social, a seemingly innocent sip can turn sinister if someone has access to your drink. 

With concerns mounting in the Music City and across the country, former Syracuse Police Det. Geoff Fahringer warns that drink spiking is an opportunistic crime that thrives on distraction and offered simple, proactive steps to protect yourself.

“The first thing that comes to mind is that college students have to realize is that they’re not at home anymore. They’re not in that maybe much safer environment of a gated community or a small town, and they really have to change their mindset to a safety awareness mindset,” he told Fox News Digital.

Fahringer, who spent years patrolling Syracuse University, says the same rules apply whether you’re on Lower Broadway or at a rural campus bar.

“Criminals are predators, and they look at targets of opportunity. If you’re walking through a parking lot with your cell phone in your hand, totally oblivious, you’re the weak deer in the herd to the pack of coyotes,” he said.

Guests listen to live music at Posty’s in Nashville July 2, 2025. Post Malone’s three-floor venue features six bars and three stages. (Andrew Nelles/The Tennessean/USA Today Network via Imagn Images)

Fahringer’s top prevention tips:

• Only drink what you’ve poured or opened yourself
• Watch each other’s backs when at a dorm party, a college bar or a house party
• Use a safe word to let friends know you’re uncomfortable
• Stay situationally aware, especially in loud and crowded venues.
• Plan an escape route, if needed

The bar at The Patterson House restaurant in Nashville May 10, 2025. (Camden Hall/For The Tennessean/USA Today Network via Imagn Images)

Recent studies suggest drink spiking is far from rare. According to Psychology of Violence, which surveyed over 6,000 students at a variety of campuses, about 1 in 13 college students report being drugged or suspect they were. Of the students who reported being drugged, 79% were female. 

Sexual assault was more common for female victims than for male victims, the study found. For example, 17% of female victims reported having unwanted sex, compared with 6% of male victims. 

Female victims were also more likely to report blacking out, with 74% reporting blacking out, compared to 51% of male victims, according to the study.

Have a plan before trouble starts

Fahringer said crafting a plan before getting into a sticky situation is the best tool for prevention.

“Being a deer in the headlights is not your plan,” he said. “Have a little strategy, talk with your friends and know what you’ll do if something starts going wrong.”