What do you think the University’s policy is towards drugs and alcohol? Do you know what harm reduction means in relation to drugs and alcohol?
And would you know where to go for support if you wanted to know how a certain substance might affect you, or if you wanted to make a change?
These were all questions we asked students to get a better idea of what they understood about the University’s approach to drugs and alcohol.
It turns out many of you don’t know the answers to these questions and unsurprisingly a large number of the students we asked, assumed that the University has a zero-tolerance policy approach to drugs. But we’re here to tell you that that’s not true.
UWE has a harm reduction approach to drugs including alcohol, which means that whilst we don’t endorse the use of these substances, we recognise that students may choose to do so.
Whilst we recommend you take some time to look at the policy, we’ve created this image summarising what’s in there.
Not knowing the University’s policy could mean that you or your friends might be reluctant to ask for help or access support.
That’s why we run our harm reduction campaign all year round. To open up the conversation about drugs and alcohol and to make sure you know where you can go for support. Especially as we have Becky, our Specialist Drugs and Alcohol Practitioner, who can support you with any aspect of substance use.
The aim of the campaign is to get you to think about substance use, ask yourself questions and judge for yourself whether you need to be safer, make a change or get support.
Because if know the risks you can reduce the harm, so when you see the posters around campus scan the QR code and contact Becky if you want to know more.
– The Student Communications team