New drug policy for students / employees

Students are getting included in NMBU’s Drug Policy

As a result of the SHoT-study (Students Health and Wellbeing Survey) from 2018, there has been developed a common drug policy for students and employees at NMBU. The new guidelines were approved December 8th, 2020, and is now a part of the university’s leader handbook.

Herman Bjørnson Hagen Journalist Oda Braar Wæge Illustrator Aleksander Mæland Munkejord Translator

What does the policy entail?

The drug policy of NMBU includes area of work, purpose and range; the attitudes and rules of NMBU. The purpose of the policy is, in short, to form a safe work- and study environment for employees and students. Under the attitudes and rules of NMBU, several points are presented. “It is not acceptable to attend work or a study situation affected by drugs”, “Use of illegal drugs is unacceptable among students and workers” and “There is to be arranged drugfree, social arenas for both employees and students”, are some of these points. We spoke with AU(Student board)member, Tilde Birgitte Dalberg, and EHScoordinator at NMBU, Gro Holter, about the changes in the drug policy.

Why was the new common drug policy necessary for students and employees at NMBU?

“Earlier, there was no common drug policy for both students and workers at NMBU. After the SHoT-survey in 2018, the Learning Environment Committee at NMBU has worked on different measures to follow up on the survey, where one of the measures were to develop a common drug policy for students and staff at NMBU. This is important in order to form an including and safe work- and study environment, and to promote safety and maintain a drug-free workplace. It is also essential in order for us to run active prevention, so that we can offer help early to students and coworkers who have drug problems”, Dalberg tells us over e-mail. “It is not a new drug policy, but it was broadened to also include students. There are few other changes to the contents. The drug policy includes alcohol and illegal drugs as well as abuse of addictive medical drugs. It makes demands of students, employees, and leaders in particular. At NMBU we care about running active prevention, so that we can offer early aid to students and colleagues with drug problems.”, Holter writes in an e-mail.

What part have the students played in the development of the new policy?

“The Rector assembled a working group that worked with a proposal for a common drug policy for students and employees. The working group was led by earlier deputy in the Working Committee of the Student Board, Ane Magnussen, and the deputy of Studentsamfunnet at the time was also represented. The drug policy was also discussed in a number of committees and groups where students are represented before it was approved. Students have truly been an active part in developing the new policy, something that was important since the policy applies to both students and employees.” Dalberg writes. “There has been a desire from the students that NMBU should have guidelines on drug use that also applies to them. The purpose is to have a common set of rules for activities run by NMBU and on our premises, where both students and employees attend.” Holter writes. Now that NMBU’s drug policy also includes students, it will be interesting to see how it affects the results of the next SHoT-survey in 2022. It is hard to predict whether or not the policy will lead to changes in the drug habits and attitudes among NMBU students.