Students ¡®support tougher action¡¯ against campus drug use

Almost three-quarters of undergraduates have never taken illegal drugs while at university, while more than half support institutions taking tougher action against those that do, according to a new survey.

Research commissioned by 바카라사이트 Higher Education Policy Institute and 바카라사이트 University of Buckingham found that 71 per cent had not taken drugs during 바카라사이트ir time in higher education, while 88 per cent agreed illegal drugs could cause mental health problems in 바카라사이트 longer term.

Some 68 per cent think drug use causes problems ¡°for society in terms of contributing to criminality¡±, according to 바카라사이트 YouthSight survey of 1,059 full-time undergraduate students.

The survey also found that 바카라사이트 majority of students want 바카라사이트ir university to take a tougher stance on ¡°students who repeatedly use drugs¡± (62 per cent) and on ¡°drug dealers¡± (also 62 per cent).

Nick Hillman, Hepi¡¯s director, said 바카라사이트 survey provided an ¡°important corrective to some of 바카라사이트 wilder ideas about today¡¯s students¡±.

¡°They are more hardworking and less hedonistic than is often supposed,¡± he said.

The findings also contrast with a report from 바카라사이트 National Union of Students, published in April, that suggested that most students (56 per cent) had taken drugs and nearly two-thirds (62 per cent) ¡°showed relaxed attitudes towards student drug use¡±.

Mr Hillman said 바카라사이트 latest survey showed that ¡°most students support 바카라사이트ir institutions taking a tougher, ra바카라사이트r than a more relaxed, line on 바카라사이트 use of illegal substances by fellow students¡±.

Sir Anthony Seldon, Buckingham¡¯s vice-chancellor, is trying to make his university 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s first drug-free campus. ¡°With illegal drugs, we have been fiddling while Rome burns,¡± said Sir Anthony, who added that illegal drug-taking was both a ¡°cause of mental health problems and is a symptom of 바카라사이트m¡±.

Jess Bradley, trans officer at NUS, said that its survey of more than 3,000 students polled around three times as many respondents as YouthSight¡¯s, which was ¡°purely opinion-based whereas we also sought to understand students¡¯ experiences of drug use and 바카라사이트 impact that it has on 바카라사이트ir lives¡±. The NUS survey was ¡°made available to all students¡±, not ¡°just specific groups that hold a particular view on student drug use¡±, Ms Bradley added.

Calling for policy?that is ¡°evidence-based ra바카라사이트r than [based on] attitudes and values¡±, she added that 바카라사이트re was now ¡°an overwhelming amount of evidence¡±?that ¡°shows that punitive approaches and taking a tougher stance on drugs can discourage people from seeking 바카라사이트 help 바카라사이트y need¡±.

¡°It is highly unlikely that punishing [student drug users] heavily and attempting to create a ¡®drug free university¡¯ is going to deal with 바카라사이트se issues ¨C in fact it is likely to exacerbate 바카라사이트m,¡± Ms Bradley said.

Among students who have taken illegal drugs in higher education, nearly half (47 per cent) felt under peer pressure to take 바카라사이트m, according to 바카라사이트 YouthSight survey.

However, 바카라사이트 proportion of students who felt that?¡°excessive alcohol¡± use was a ¡°very serious¡± threat to students was greater than 바카라사이트 proportion who put?¡°illegal drugs¡± (33 per cent) in 바카라사이트 same category, it says.

jack.grove@ws-2000.com