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UCL has approved a harm reduction approach to drugs and alcohol which has replaced the previous zero-tolerance approach.
Introduction
- Overview
Whilst UCL does not condone the use of illegal drugs or the misuse of prescription drugs, we acknowledge that some students may choose to use or try them during their time at university. Should our students choose to engage in any risky behaviours, awareness of the dangers is paramount to making informed choices. Education and support offer students the opportunity to greatly reduce the risk of long-term harm. Therefore, UCL Student Support and Wellbeing Services and the Student Union believe a harm reduction stance as part of a broader strategy around the wellbeing of students at university, is in the best interests of our student body.
Drug use is a complex issue and often a sign that a student is experiencing other problems such as poor mental, physical or social health. This issue impacts all students, and so the new strategy will address the ‘whole’ university. The policy will combine prevention, harm reduction, early intervention and treatment approaches within a single strategy to benefit all students. There are broadly three groups of students who need to benefit from a new drug strategy:
- Students who do not use drugs
- Students who are using drugs but currently not experiencing significant harm
- Students who are using drugs and experiencing problems related to that use
- Benchmarking against other Higher Education Institutions
The HEIs leading on harm reduction, including The University of Leeds, Keele University, the University of West England and the University of Manchester, have found that the transition to a harm reduction policy corroborates research into substance abuse behaviours. A recent NCBI review on illicit drug use in British and Irish university students reports that ‘despite big strides in the development of campus-based mental health support in the past decade, the issue of addiction to drugs, alcohol or other behaviours has been largely ignored.’ This review supports robust evidence that education and treatment are the best tools educators can use to prevent addiction and death from drugs alcohol, gambling, sex, and pornography abuse.
Universities UK have recently (November 2024) published a report Enabling student health and success to help universities understand and address student drug use. With student safety and wellbeing as its starting point, the report approaches the issue as a public health matter, looking at how to minimise harm by tackling supply, reducing demand and improving support.
UCL’s previous stance, a zero-tolerance policy, compounded the harmful and damaging stigma that prevents students from accessing the plethora of support available on campus. Unfortunately, many students were disincentivised from admitting that they had, and may have continued to, engage with addictive behaviours or indeed experienced significant harm, without dependent use. Due to this policy, some students feared they would be removed from their course or accommodation if they disclosed their struggle with harmful use to UCL. Conversely, student welfare is the top priority of a harm reduction policy. This policy will reduce the barriers to accessing support and advice.
- Cases of misconduct
It is important to note that the move to a harm reduction model, and the redevelopment of disciplinary procedures, will not condone antisocial or criminal behaviour. The harm reduction policy is focused on improving the wellbeing of students struggling with personal drug use. It is not proposed to change the code of conduct regarding incidents where students, or members of the public, have been harmed or endangered by the distribution of drugs by a student. All cases of misconduct will continue to be addressed. Any student found to be involved in the supply or distribution of illegal or non-prescribed drugs will be referred to the Metropolitan Police for consideration of criminal prosecution. This conforms to the approach of HEIs who have lead the change to a harm reduction strategy.
- Student Life Cycle
Our student body’s aspiration for a harm reduction policy was evidenced by the UCL Student Union Commitment to Harm Reduction published in December 2022. We therefore decided to bring Student Support and Wellbeing Services and the Students’ Union together to lead this project. We then formed a wider ‘Task and Finish’ group encompassing members from across the institution (including clinical academic staff, representatives from Workplace Health and SU (Student Union) Advice team) as well as other relevant external stakeholders (CUBE Clinic and Neuro Sight) to ensure diverse and informed input. The group placed an emphasis on the benefits of a whole University approach. The aims of this strategy and action plan are to reduce suffering in young lives through effective harm reduction education, remove any stigma attached to seeking support for substance misuse and to address taboo harmful and addictive behaviours.
- Vulnerabilities
We understand that students are subject to different vulnerabilities based on their circumstances. Significant lifestyle changes and traumatic events can increase a student’s vulnerability to substance use and addictive behaviours, such as the transition from home life to university or from halls to private accommodation, financial concerns, exam stress, bereavement, and other personal issues such as relationship problems or abuse. Furthermore, socioeconomic factors can disproportionately affect students from minority groups. Individual, interpersonal and community risk factors and protective factors must also be incorporated into the strategy.
The long-term psychosocial impact of COVID-19 on young adults also supports the change from a zero-tolerance to a harm reduction policy. A report on The Drug Use in Higher Education in Ireland (DUHEI) Survey 2021 revealed that the national lockdowns wrought by the pandemic prevented some adolescents from experimenting with addictive substances before they attended university. Therefore, any experience, knowledge and awareness gained from the ages 15-18 has been pushed back to 18-21 years old.
Despite the current cost-of-living grant available to students, the percentage of successful applications has fallen below 50%, with UCL delivering 315 applications and 144 emergency grants. One reason for this decline is the content of the applications becoming more speculative, with students reluctant to share the details of their circumstances. While it is rarely used, the potential for £600 fines to be placed on students within a zero-tolerance framework would disproportionately affect students facing economic hardship.
We are aware that UCL’s duty of care varies depending on whether care is in relation to their staff or their students. Whilst we have reviewed provisions, we know that not all actions will apply to both audiences. We have liaised with a variety of stakeholders to best ensure we are fulfilling our duty of care and student welfare whilst staying within our remit. We plan to review this action plan on a termly basis, updating and amending, as necessary.
Implementation
Our key messages for this action plan mirror those of other leading HEIs who have already adopted and implemented their own harm reduction strategies:
UCL and the Students' Union have entered into partnership with Students Organising for Sustainability (SoS-UK) and become a participant in their Drug and Alcohol Impact Programme. This provides a framework of 51 criteria for us to work through together towards accreditation. Student Support and Wellbeing Services are taking the lead for UCL and will require extensive input from the Steering Group, which is composed of stakeholders from across UCL and the SU, many of whom are students. The members of this group provid a solid foundation to ensure there are connections with relevant departments and colleagues with knowledge and expertise.. Many of the actions will need careful and informed planning and will not necessarily be quick to implement.
Some key criteria are listed below:
- Research addictive behaviours at UCL by surveying students to gain insights into attitudes towards harmful substances, the prevalence of harmful behaviours and the harms created. We participated in the SoS-UK drug and alcohol survey for the first time in 2024 and recieved 581 responses from our students.
- Redevelop disciplinary procedures to increase support for students, developing harm reduction policies orientated towards student education and support rather than sanctions.
- Create comprehensive training for staff in student-facing roles to offer a space for confidential support, resources, and direct referrals to specialist support.
- Drug testing kits to be made available for students.
- Create a student module to educate on addictive behaviours, framing the message to be kind to each other in the community and staying safe and healthy.
- Host SSWS (Student Support and Wellbeing Services) events on drug awareness throughout the academic year. There is also the potential to invite external partners to give talks on substance abuse and expand into Student Health and Wellbeing Community of Practice webinars.