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Drugs and Alcohol

The Guild is one of several students’ unions who are teaming up with SOS UK to move to a harm reduction approach to drugs and alcohol. In partnership with the University (and external partners, such as Aquarius) we are working towards accreditation with SOS UK’s Drug and Alcohol Impact programme. We are committed to ensuring students have access to appropriate support around their use and that no one feels judged or isolated for seeking help.

Support

We know drug and alcohol use exists within university life across the UK and that students experience new situations at university. We want to increase understanding, awareness, and share knowledge to support  decision-making. The Guild believes a harm reduction approach is the best way to reduce barriers to getting help. We are committed to facilitating open discussions, reducing stigma, and signposting to support.

The information we provide does not constitute or replace medical advice and we acknowledge that the use of alcohol and drugs always carries a risk of harm. Drugs and alcohol both have short and long-term effects on our health and wellbeing, both mental and physical, as well as affecting how we interact with people. It can also impact academic life. We hope to give you information and guidance to minimise negative effects where possible and encourage you to seek help.

Choose an option to see our support information:


Support with
Drugs

Support with
Alcohol

Drugs

The Guild does not condone the use of illegal drugs or the misuse of prescription drugs, and the safest option is not to use them.

However, we know some students may choose to use drugs during their time here. The best advice is always not to take drugs, but if you do, please make sure you know what you’re taking, understand the risks, and take steps to stay safe.

With the help of SOS-UK, we surveyed UoB students in November 2025 to learn about your experiences. Most respondents had never used drugs and didn’t feel pressured to, with 13% currently using and 28% having tried them. Among those who use drugs, this was mainly for recreational reasons, and the most common drugs used were cannabis, powder cocaine, and ketamine. Using drugs was more likely to happen where respondents lived and at house parties. Many don’t know what support is available at the University.

Points To Remember

Research

Research what you are taking and the effect it may have on you by referring to trusted sources (see the information below under sources of support).

Don’t Take Drugs When Alone

Don’t take drugs when alone and have trusted people around you.

Mixing

Mixing different drugs or drugs and alcohol can result in dangerous and unpredictable effects. Explore TripSit’s mixing tool for helpful information on this.

Go Low And Go Slow

Take your time – start with lower doses and wait to feel the effects. Drugs can be potent, and their effects are not instantaneous. Your friend’s dose may not be the right dose for you. The Loop’s website has more information.

Purity

You can’t judge the purity of a drug by looking at it and purity can and will vary. You may trust your dealer, but they might not always know what they are selling.

Hydration

Stay hydrated with non-alcoholic drinks but don’t overdrink. The guidance is roughly one pint of water per hour and better to sip gradually than drink lots at once.

Always Call 999 If You Need Emergency Help

Throwing Up

Sip water slowly. If vomiting continues, call 111.

Paranoia

Get to a safe place with people you trust to try and calm down.

Chest Pains

Seek help from others who can get help for you.

Fitting

Move nearby objects away and get help immediately, including calling 999.

Overheating

Remove excess clothing, cool down and if it continues, seek help.

It is important to note that in our venues, we have licensing responsibilities and taking or using drugs in our spaces and venues is not permitted.

Please also be aware that whilst substance and drug use carry risks to health, it could also result in criminal offences being committed under law. Our approach to harm reduction does not provide a defence to criminal law (e.g.  the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 or the Psychoactive Substances Act 2016).

If you have any thoughts or ideas on how to best support students around this, please get in contact with us via email.

Alcohol

We know that some students can drink heavily when at University and we want to move to a harm reduction approach that increases understanding and awareness and helps students make informed decisions.

When (with SOS-UK) we surveyed UoB students in November 2025, we learned about your experiences. Most respondents drink alcohol (68%), about once a week, often getting drunk at home or a friend’s house before going out, for social and confidence reasons. Many don’t plan to get drunk, recognise that pacing leads to a better night, and aren’t overly concerned about health impacts. Non-drinkers mainly don’t drink due to taste, effect or religious and cultural reasons.

The NHS advises that we shouldn’t drink more than 14 units of alcohol per week on a regular basis. This is roughly 6 pints or 10 small glasses of wine.  More than this is binge drinking.

Tips To Keep You Safe

    • Drink spiking
      Always watch your drink being made and don’t leave it unattended. Did you know that even friends adding a shot to your drink without you knowing is still drink spiking? If they spike your drink with drugs, this is extremely serious and could result in a maximum prison sentence of 10 years and University expulsion.
    • Know your own limits.
      We are all different sizes and a range of things will affect how well you tolerate alcohol on any given day e.g. what you have eaten, how much sleep you have had etc. Don’t try and keep up with others – know when you have had enough and switch to soft drinks.
    • Have consecutive alcohol-free days each week
    • Turning down a drink
      is much less embarrassing than throwing one up!
    • If you are drinking at home
      Keep an eye on your measures and how much you are pouring, especially with spirits and wine. It’s not rude to say no to a top up so you can better monitor your intake.
    • Mixing drugs and alcohol
      Can result in dangerous and unpredictable effects. Cocaine is commonly mixed with alcohol. This creates the highly toxic cocaethylene in the body, which can cause sudden heart attacks. Always seek medical advice before mixing alcohol and medication or prescription drugs. Don't feel pressure to mix or try new substances, it's fine to say no thanks.
    • Eating is not cheating
      Make sure you have a substantial meal if you are going to be drinking alcohol. Alcohol gets into your bloodstream much more quickly if you have an empty stomach, which can make you very drunk and ill. Carbohydrates e.g. pasta will fill you up better.
    • Take out the cash you want to spend
      So you don’t have ‘the fear’ the next day checking your account
    • Call out bad behaviour
      Drinking can cause us to lose our inhibitions and do things we might not do sober. Help your friends see when they may have had enough and their behaviour may be negatively affecting others.
  • Space them, don’t chase them!
    Having a soft drink in between alcoholic drinks helps slow down your intake of alcohol over a night out.
  • Don’t ever accept drinks from people you don’t know
  • Needle spiking can also happen through injection
    Whilst this is rare, the advice is to follow the same precautionary measures as with other types of spiking – stay with trusted people and check on each other regularly.
  • Drink a pint of water when you get home
    To rehydrate
  • If you think you or someone you know has been spiked, speak to a member of staff
    At the venue immediately and they will be able to help you.
  • Visit our Safe Night Out page.
    For more tips on how to prevent drink spiking, as well as how to recognise the symptoms in yourself and your friends, and what your Guild are specifically doing to tackle drink spiking and spiking by injection (needle spiking) in our venues.
  • Ask for Angela
    if you are ever on a night out in a bar or venue and you don’t feel you are safe, speak to a staff member and Ask for Angela - they will know to help you discreetly and professionally.
  • Look out for your mates
    Go home together and never leave anyone behind.
  • Student Groups
    You are not under any obligation to drink alcohol at all or beyond your comfort levels when you are at socials with student groups or sports clubs. You do not have to engage with drinking shots, for example, or playing drinking games on a night out if you don’t want to. Committees receive clear guidance on this, and the University has a zero-tolerance approach to any sort of initiation or forced drinking within student groups. If this happens on a social, you can report it to UB Sports staff or email the Guild’s Sports Officer.
  • If you need to drive the next day, reduce what you drink
    You can still be over the limit hours later.
  • If you notice a friend is drinking more than usual and you have concerns
    Try and talk to them about it in a gentle way. Let them know you’ve noticed and are worried and ask if all is ok.

Always Call 999 If You Need Emergency Help

Some symptoms that indicate you need to seek help for yourself or someone else:

Throwing Up

Sip water slowly. If vomiting continues, call 111.

Slow or Irregular Breathing

If you have any concerns call for help immediately on 999.

Unconsciousness

If someone isn’t responding put them into the recovery position if you know how to or call 999 to ask them.

Fitting

If someone is fitting, move surrounding objects away and get help immediately, including calling 999.

Hypothermia

Make sure you or your friends are wearing appropriate layers when you are going out, you may not realise how cold you are.

If you have any thoughts or ideas on how to best support students around this, please email your Welfare and Officer.

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