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Newcastle University lightens drug policy

2 December 2015

By James

Students and members of the public alike have praised Newcastle University after the institution announced a change to its drug policy.

The University, which for many years has used a “zero-tolerance” policy with regard to drug use on university-owned property, announced the changes last week. Under previous policy, students using drugs were immediately evicted from their accommodation, but now the eviction will be suspended on the condition that there are no offences in the future. This is a considerable change from the University’s old hard-line policy.

The change came after the University was petitioned by the Students for Sensible Drug Policy group and the Students’ Union, and makes Newcastle one of only a few universities in the country to hold such a policy.

In the past, the University had been criticised for their lack of follow-up support after such an eviction, but the new policy of ‘adequate warning’ may help to solve this problem. First-time offences will be dealt with by a ‘support package’, which may include GP visits, well-being clinics or advice centres. Unusually, the new policy also features a ‘medical amnesty’ clause under which, if students are suffering a drug-related emergency, their actions may be taken into consideration when disciplinary action is meted out. Zoe Carre, founder of the Newcastle chapter of the SSDP, said that this clause has “positive health benefits”, as students may contact emergency services faster without pausing to hide any illegal substances.

Many members of the public, however, oppose the change, citing the fact that the move goes against the “war on drugs” being fought by police across Britain, and the fact that the substances concerned are illegal anyway. However, others have pitched in to support the new policy, with several saying that the change would give more help to students using drugs in relation to mental health issues, who are currently “targeted” by strict rules that “punish rather than educate”.

The University’s management says that, while it does not condone the use of illegal substances, the policy was lightened in order to balance welfare and deterrence. A spokesman for the University said that the change brings Newcastle “in line with other universities”.

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