University of Bristol Independent Student Newspaper
www.epigram.org.uk
15th February 2016
Does Bristol University ignore student drug use?
Issue 297
Features Is it time Bristol Uni came to terms with it’s dark history?
• University claims they ‘do not turn a blind eye to drug use’
Page 6
• In a survey, 77 per cent of students at Bristol claimed to have tried drugs • Bristol students have been disciplined for drug use four times less than at other universities Ben Parr Investigations Editor
Epigram/ Sorcha Bradley Epigram ‘Because so many people take drugs, a workshop on it seems stupid to them, they see it as a joke and don’t care,’ one student told Epigram in regards to drug and alcohol awareness workshops being run in university residences.
The University of Bristol are taking on a number of new initiatives as a result of an enquiry into drug use, after a student asked about ‘Bristol’s rampant drug problem’ at a Question Time event involving the ViceChancellor last term. At the Question Time event, the University management appeared unaware of Bristol’s ‘druggy’ reputation. Following the event, Epigram found in a survey of nearly 300 students that 77 per cent have tried drugs, the vast majority of which did so whilst at the University of Bristol. A Freedom of Information request has also revealed that during the 2014/15 academic year, only one student was disciplined by the Pro Vice-Chancellor for drug use. The university have since told Epigram that a further 109 students were disciplined by hall wardens during this year. This compares to at least 468 students who were disciplined for drug related offences at the University of Exeter during the same period. The University’s new initiatives are designed as a way to introduce awareness of the ‘risks of drug use, including potential disciplinary action.’ They include drug and alcohol awareness workshops for students in University residences, for which student attendance is ‘expected’. One resident at Badock Hall said she doubted how good the attendance at the awareness sessions would be: ‘Because so many people take drugs, a workshop on it seems stupid to them, they see it is a joke and don’t care’, she said. continued on page 3
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