Tennessee Outlaws Spiking Drinks

Tennessee outlawed placing roofies and other date rape drugs in drinks. The practice becomes a Class D felony starting July 1, 2026.

Many bar, restaurant, and other hospitality owners across Tennessee have been bracing for a new mandate to provide free roofie testing. Relax. The testing mandate didn’t make it into the final law.

The new law makes it a Class D felony to spike someone’s drink, food, or medication with intent to cause involuntary intoxication. The penalty? Two to twelve years in prison. Plus, fines up to $5,000. Here is a copy of PC 1131.

The original bill required all businesses with liquor licenses to provide free or low-cost drink testing strips or another testing device. Businesses were required to post signs about testing and keep test strips or other testing devices in stock and up-to-date.

Here is a copy of the original bill

The final law dropped the testing device requirement. Only the felony for drink spiking made it through the legislature.

If you’re feeling a little woozy trying to follow what happened to Senate Bill 2372, we don't blame you. Tracking this bill's journey might leave you feeling like your drink's been spiked. As Fergie put it in "Clumsy":

You got me trippin', stumblin', flippin', fumblin'

The bill flipped and fumbled its way through both chambers, shedding its drink testing device mandate somewhere between the Senate and the House floor. 

The final version? It is now a criminal offense to spike a drink. But businesses are not required to provide drink testing devices. 

Worried about drink spiking? Testing strips are widely available. Here’s one option: Drink Testing Strips

Special thanks to Emilie Claire Nason, a first-year law student at Belmont University and an Adams & Reese summer associate, for helping to co-author this post.