A petition has been proposed on the UK government website to make it mandatory for nightclubs and venues to search revellers on arrival.
This aims to prevent harmful weapons and other items, such as ‘date rape’ drugs, to be used in clubs.
The petition has currently (October 18) received over 21,000 signatures, after being up for less than a week, and is therefore waiting on a response from the government.
Hannah Thomson, who created the petition, is a former student at Edinburgh Napier University.
She posed the question: “Why aren’t nightclubs required to do more to prevent harmful items making it into their clubs?”
The petition comes after concerns were raised in the UK, following a surge in drink spiking in popular clubs.
Official statistics are missing, but an independent investigation by the BBC Radio 5 Live Investigations Unit found that between 2015-2019 there were 2,650 reports of drink spiking in England and Wales.
Fears have also been raised in Scotland, where numerous online claims were made of women being spiked by injection at Edinburgh nightclubs.
An Instagram account named Edinburgh Anonymous said they had received multiple reports from students being spiked at popular city venues.
Also in Nottingham, a number of posts circulating on social media have stated several students were targeted and spiked in Nottingham City Centre nightclubs.
Kate, 20, a student at Nottingham Trent University, recounted how she was “not able to really move” after her drink was spiked only a week ago in Rock City, a popular venue among students.
Commenting on the recent petition, she said: “I think it is necessary.
“After what has happened to me it needs drastic measures.
“Searching at the door should hopefully eliminate anything coming into the clubs themselves.”
Sophie, a News Journalism student at NTU, also welcomed the petition.
She said: “I believe that searches should be mandatory before entering a club, especially in the current climate regarding the increase in girls being spiked.
“Searching may not put a stop to the issue altogether but would definitely improve the situation and give people peace of mind that they are safe in clubs.”
Rock City has been approached for comment.
To read more about what drink spiking is and what symptoms you may get from it, visit our drink spiking guide.
To sign the petition, click here.
Lead image: Rucsandra Moldoveanu