Modern Culture

Why are universities so scared to talk about drugs?

“There is a lack of information from universities because there is a nervousness about them talking about something that’s illegal,” she says. “They know it happens, but they aren’t sure of their role in intervening. They can’t tell people that getting into debt with drug dealers is a bad idea, or [to use] certain drugs sparingly, because they think that would be seen as advocating it.” -Shelly Asquith, Vice President of Welfare at the National Union of Students

In May, Drugs And Me managed to hold an unofficial harm reduction workshop at UCL, which I went along to. The charity’s director of development, Rosalind Stone, began by telling students, “We noticed that, at university, it was almost weirder to talk about drugs than to take them – people were more worried about being legally safe than staying physically safe.” Rosalind presented the small gathering of students with some straight up drug harm reduction advice that was more direct than what they were getting through official channels. What was shocking was that, of the 12 students there, two said they had student friends at UCL who had died after taking drugs. None of the students at the workshop – all of whom were in their second or third years – had been given any drug harm reduction advice since arriving at the university.

From the Article (Vice):
Why Are Universities So Scared to Talk About Drugs?
Artwork Fair Use: Akendall

Modern Culture

…to town

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