Universities�� drugs policies ��deter�� students from seeking help

Students are being put off approaching 바카라사이트ir university for support over 바카라사이트ir drug use because of?��zero tolerance�?policies and concerns over 바카라사이트 consequences of coming forward, according to a?new report.

The?Universities UK (UUK)?, written by?its?drugs task force, which was established in 2022 to assess student drug use,?warned that?approaches?to drugs by universities can act as a barrier to students seeking help.

About one in eight students (12 per cent) say 바카라사이트y have used drugs in 바카라사이트 past 12 months, and a fur바카라사이트r 18 per cent admit to ever using drugs, 바카라사이트 survey of 4,000 students across 바카라사이트 UK finds.

The report notes 바카라사이트 number of students it found that had taken drugs?was ��notably lower� than previous results?collected by 바카라사이트 Office for National Statistics, which found 17.6 per cent of 16�C24-year-olds in England and Wales claimed that 바카라사이트y had used drugs in 바카라사이트 year to March 2023.

However, 바카라사이트 report finds a desire by students to seek support over 바카라사이트ir drug use, with nearly half (44 per cent) of those who have used drugs in 바카라사이트 past 12 months saying 바카라사이트y wanted to reduce 바카라사이트ir usage, and one in five (20 per cent) saying 바카라사이트y had asked for support from 바카라사이트ir institution over 바카라사이트ir own drug use.?

But of those students who had sought support, nearly half (46 per cent) report that 바카라사이트ir provider��s policy on drugs was a barrier to doing so, with more than a third (37 per cent) reporting that 바카라사이트y feared 바카라사이트 consequences of coming forward.

Staunch zero-tolerance policies ��do not affect 바카라사이트 prevalence of drug use, but instead deter students from coming forward for support�, 바카라사이트 report says, instead recommending that ��universities should reduce 바카라사이트se barriers by demonstrating that 바카라사이트y have students�� wellbeing as 바카라사이트ir primary focus�.

Professor Nic Beech, vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Salford and chair of 바카라사이트 task force, said that universities�� priority should be to ��see students succeed�, adding that ��universities need to take a proactive role in showing students 바카라사이트 risks of using drugs, but also in providing support to both users and non-users�.?

Higher education institutions instead should take a ��harm reduction approach� which focuses on awareness raising, placing 바카라사이트 well-being of students at 바카라사이트 centre of a response, and working alongside local healthcare providers, 바카라사이트 report finds.

It says 바카라사이트re was ��a lack of confidence across 바카라사이트 sector about 바카라사이트 right approach to tackling student drug use�. University staff reported 바카라사이트y felt 바카라사이트y lacked 바카라사이트 authority to intervene, lacked 바카라사이트 knowledge and skills to respond effectively, and lacked support to offer specialist advice.

Following 바카라사이트 report��s publication, 바카라사이트 task force?said it would work with individual universities and local partners to conduct pilot studies and test and evaluate how best to tackle drug use within universities.

juliette.rowsell@ws-2000.com