Zero-tolerance policies for drugs at universities could discourage students from seeking help for abuse, a report by a British think tank concludes.
The report from the Higher Education Policy Institute (Hepi) highlights studies that suggest that only three in XNUMX students are safe with information about their drug use or dare to share abuse for fear of punishment. 16 percent of students who use illegal drugs had "scary experiences" but did not seek help.
“Drug-related deaths, which happen every year within universities, are largely preventable if the right policies and practices are in place,” the report said. “If zero-tolerance means fewer people seeking help and potentially life-saving information not being communicated, then that's a concern.”
Education about drugs
How ironic. Students learn at university. So why is there no education about drugs? Not only about abuse, but also about stopping or reducing illegal drugs. John de Pury, deputy director of policy at Universities UK, welcomed the report, mainly because the authors put health outcomes first. Universities UK this month announced a new task force chaired by Middlesex University Vice-Chancellor Prof Nic Beech to help universities understand and tackle drug use among students.
This academic year, students at Bristol University will receive advice and support, including harm reduction sessions with a drug worker on how to reduce the risks of party drug use. “We understand that a zero-tolerance policy is harmful because it prevents students from contacting them for fear of being punished,” the university statement on drug policy said.
Help with drug addiction
De Pury added: “Universities need another conversation about drugs. We need to listen to students to understand and address harm and risk. Above all, we need an open and proven approach that puts the safety and health of our university communities first.”
Mike Barton, former chief of police for Durham, said: “The use of 'zero tolerance' is puzzling, both in prevalence and futility.” Arda Ozcubukcu, co-founder of the harm reduction social enterprise NeuroSight and co-author of the report, said: “If students don't ask for help in a life-threatening situation because they are concerned about punishment, then that's a serious problem. We all want students to be safe. Harm reduction approaches can literally save lives.”
In October 2019, college student Daniel Mervis, 23, died of an overdose after struggling with addiction. Mervis was a student at University College London but previously attended Oxford's St John's College. In a report last year, coroner Prof. Fiona Wilcox criticized St John's College's approach to drugs, saying its extremely strict drug policies could discourage students from seeking help.
Read more on the guardian.com (Source, EN)
