Drugs and alcohol

Drug and alcohol use can affect your physical and mental health, behaviour, relationships, academic performance at university and can lead to addiction.

While the University does not condone substance use, it is committed to a harm reduction approach and aims to work with students in education, offering guidance and support in this space to reduce the potential harms that may occur. 

This page contains advice and guidance regarding drug and alcohol use and information on where to seek help and support.

Alcohol

If you choose to drink alcohol, drinking in moderation can be an enjoyable and usually harmless feature of student life. However, getting drunk regularly can have potentially serious impact on your health, social and academic life. Even drinking to excess just occasionally can be damaging to your health and wellbeing.

Often people believe that alcohol use is a key part of student life, however, many people choose not to consume alcohol for a variety of reasons. Please be aware that many of your fellow students may not drink alcohol and remember to respect other peoples’ choices, religions and cultures. 

If you prefer not to consume alcohol, for whatever reason, you will likely find many other like-minded people who share this preference. Don’t be pressured into drinking by your peers; seek help if others do not respect your wishes. The Students’ Union has a wide range of events and activities that are alcohol-free and here are some ideas for social activities you can do without alcohol.

Drugs

The safest choice is avoiding drugs altogether as all substance use involves some level of potential harm or risk. However, we understand that some students choose to try drugs whilst at university.

The use of drugs, however, can have serious health consequences both physically and mentally, as well as increasing the likelihood of criminal convictions and associated crime. It’s not just illegal drugs that you need to be wary of, there are legal substances for sale with potential health risks.

If you feel you are being pressurised to take drugs, the Frank website has some useful help on dealing with peer pressure.

Harm reduction advice 

The safest choice is to avoid taking drugs or drinking to excess, as all substance use involves some level of risk of harm. There are some ways that you can minimise the risk and stay safer.

When drinking:

• Drink responsibly.
• Eat before you go out and drink plenty of water or have a soft drink between alcoholic drinks.
• Pace yourself - keep track of what you’re drinking as well as how much. 
• Don’t leave your drink unattended. ‘Spiking’ of alcoholic drinks with other substances can occur; the best advice to avoid this is do not accept a drink unless you have seen it being prepared and do not leave your drink unattended.
• If you think you have been ‘spiked’, stay with a trusted friend (not someone you have just met) and go to a safe place (your home/hospital/police station).

If you decide to take drugs:

• Do your research. It is hard to know what effects a drug might have and risks can be increased when mixing drugs. Always use a trusted source and use a drug testing kit, which you can buy from pharmacies.
• An overdose can happen when someone takes too much of a substance. To avoid an overdose stay hydrated and have something to eat before/while taking any substances; start with a small amount, then wait for a few hours before you take another dose, as many substances take time to take effect and it is better to wait than to risk overdosing.
• Try to avoid injecting as getting the right amount is difficult for first time users and it carries greater risks.
• Avoid using stimulants if you have high blood pressure, heart disease, epilepsy, and if you have psychiatric problems like depression or anxiety.
• Avoid taking drugs when you are on your own. Stay with a trusted person or people and tell them how much you have taken and when. If you can’t avoid taking drugs when you are on your own, let someone know and arrange for them to check in on you.
• Consider the setting – this can affect your experience even if you have taken the same type of drug before.
• Look after friends, if they are sleeping or unconscious, put them in the recovery position.
• If you are concerned that you or someone else is having an unexpected reaction or needs medical attention, you should call 999 immediately and be completely honest about what has been taken. Remember mental health issues can be an emergency too.

How do I know if I need help?

It could be time to seek help if:

• Your alcohol or drug use is causing problems for you.
• You often feel the need to have a drink or use drugs or you need to take more to get the same effect.
• You rely on alcohol or drugs to socialise or manage stress.
• You use drugs to affect weight or sport performance.
• You find it hard to stop drinking or taking drugs once you’ve started.
• You get into trouble because of your drinking or drug use.
• Other people express concern about your drinking or drug use.
• You regularly drink or take drugs to deal with a hangover or withdrawal symptoms.
• Your use of alcohol or drugs is starting to affect your relationships with family and friends or is affecting your ability to work or study.
• You forget what happened the night before; you feel embarrassed or ashamed of your behaviour.
• You experience sleep disturbances or struggle to get up.
• You conceal or lie about your drinking or drug use to friends and family.
• Your drinking is upsetting or worrying you, but you can’t stop.
• You want to gain a better understanding of the effects of alcohol use or drug taking.