Student Support and Volunteering 

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"Thank you for thinking about becoming a student committed to working towards a safer environment for those more vulnerable and to assist with a harm reduction policy. It is only through your engagement and energy that over time the same ethical and compassion students lead on in so many areas can be applied to the drug industry. My son Daniel started abusing drugs while at Oxford University.

 

Like Covid, drug use does not affect everyone to the same degree – it preys on the vulnerable.  While students were aware of his abusing drugs, “zero tolerance” meant no one reached out to alert the University for help. He denied his drug use out of fear of the “severe” consequences prescribed by a policy that had its roots in “zero tolerance” rather than welfare. The coroner made a Report (the first of its kind) which required Oxford to have a clear policy which allowed students to come forward for help. Oxford has embraced this and is working with SafeCourse to promote active policies in all universities) on a new policy and drug awareness program. Daniel died in October 2019 (a few years after having left Oxford) of an accidental overdose after battling with addiction for many years. Addiction is a recognised disease. Unlike cancer the victim has the added stigma of being blamed for their illness.

 

The misery caused by addiction is only overshadowed by death. Students are needed to play their part in giving prominence to the unethical nature of the drug trade instead of giving it a “day pass”. Ironically, the “social acceptability” of drug use has flourished in the nurturing shadow provided by the widespread policy of “zero tolerance”. While drug use can never be stopped the battle needs to be fought on a level playing field with both Universities and students playing their part to reduce harm and tackle the mental health issues which allow drugs to exact such a heavy toll".