A survey of over 16,000 university students , from 14 different UK universities (Bristol, UCL, Warwick, Edinburgh, Sheffield, Belfast, Durham, Southampton, Sussex, Exeter, St Andrews, Birmingham, Lincoln and Glasgow), found that drug use is still prevalent at university despite the range of rules imposed by our series of national lockdowns such as bubbles, rules of six etc.

The Survey was conducted by The Tab and was completed by 16,017 respondents in total. The Tab is a long-running (founded in 2009) student journalism site covering youth culture and student culture and a proven launchpad for young people aspiring to be journalists.

The survey asked students about their drug of choice, whether they have been taking more drugs since the pandemic and the emotional reasons behind their drug use.

When asked about their own drug use, only one third of students said they were doing drugs more often since lockdown. However, when presented with the same question phrased about other students, “do you think students are doing more drugs since the pandemic?”, a majority (55%) of students said they thought that their fellow students have beendoing more drugs since the pandemic started.

Cannabis and cocaine most popular drugs

The survey asked about what substances studeants were taking, giving a range of options of the most common drugs among young people using recreationally – cannabis, ketamine, cocaine, MDMA, Xanax, nitrous oxide, amphetamines and hallucinogenics – 44 per cent of students (6,908 respondents) said they used cannabis most often. The next most popular drug was cocaine, with 1,959 (12.2%) respondents using it, followed by nitrous oxide (11.9%), ketamine with 1,842 (11.5%), and then hallucinogenics (7.3%). The least popular drugs from the options provided in the survey were amphetamines (taken by just 3.1% respondents) and Xanax (3.6%).

Motivation

The survey also asked students why they were doing drugs, presenting respondents with three key options:

1. Self-medication/relaxation
2. Boredom/as a distraction  and
3. Others are taking drugs (presumably a way of asking about peer pressure).

More than two out of five (44%) students said they took drugs primarily because of boredom, with a high proportion (37.5%) also saying they took drug to relax or self-medicate with a surprisingly high one in six respondents (17%) admitting that they mainly took drugs because other people did. The survey did not permit students to choose more than one option in answering this question but the evidence base suggests that most people have more than one reason for using substances.

Looking forwards

This largescale survey gives a good insight into the most popular drugs among young people at University and, if and when our nightlife sector finally re-opens, confirms that venues will need to ensure that they can respond to people who get into trouble through their use of cocaine and ketamine in particular.

How people socialise through lockdown

As everybody knows, nightclubs and most festivals have been closed since the end of March which means that most people have been partying behind closed doors, mainly in their own homes.  While clubs have professional staff, security and medical teams and, on occasion, specialist outreach services, house parties have none of the support systems in place for people who take drugs as part of their socialising. Some people may even be reluctant to phone for an ambulance in a drug-related medical emergency if they are worried about police finding out about illegal drug use at their home.

Many of us have found it difficult to cope with the boredom that lockdown has brought and the loss of structure to our daily lives. Some of us have started drinking and/or using drugs earlier in the day or have been consuming seven days a week, when we used to party only at the weekend. For some people drug use will have become normalised within their limited social bubbles. Students may be particularly at risk since almost all teaching is now being done online and, again, organised parties and clubbing are no longer possible.

Buying drugs during the pandemic

Many people who used to buy their drugs from a trusted individual have moved to purchasing drugs from the darknet. For many, this is perceived as less risky – both in terms of minimising  the chances of being arrested and, often, in terms of being able to access higher quality drugs. There are, of course, risks to using substances of a higher purity and you are used to. However, there has also been a shift to buying drugs via social media where many entrepreneurial dealers have developed an aggressive marketing approach. In many cases, online dealers’ representations of themselves as being trustworthy sources turn out to be misleading.

Psychological impact

Most of us have struggled to a greater or lesser extent from the impact of COVID-19 during 2020 in terms of isolation and loss of income. For the large numbers of people who have lost their jobs or, even worse, someone they love to the virus, the impact has obviously been much more profound. Young people, used to spending much more time outside the home, have been disproportionately affected. Many of them have had to live with the uncertainty and confusion of the A-level results situation. Others have moved away from home to university for the first time but have had limited opportunities to make new friends or to maintain face-to-face contact with existing family and friends. The ongoing boredom and lack of interpersonal contact has encouraged many to deal with the crisis by the increased use of drink and drugs.

Online harm reduction

Organisations like the Bristol Drugs Project who would normally be doing outreach work at clubs and festivals have developed a range of online harm reduction interventions. They have chosen to use the online platforms with which their target audience is most familiar and have posted harm reduction infographics on Instagram, shared the latest research and information on Twitter and blogged regularly on their website on such issues as Student Harm Reduction and COVID-19. The organisation has also promoted online tools from other providers such as Breaking Free’s Staying Free app which gives users the tools, techniques and support to help manage their drug and alcohol use.

This form on online support will be increasingly vital as we all battle through the coming winter under lockdown.

Changes in alcohol use

• 43% of the sample reported an increase in the frequency of drinking (25% a decrease) while 36% of the sample reported an increase in the amount of alcohol they drank on a typical day (22% a decrease) compared to before COVID-19.
• 30% reported starting drinking earlier in the day compared to before COVID-19 and 42% wanted to drink less in the next 30 days.
• Drinking alone at home while on video/audio calls, chats or ‘watch parties’ was more commonly reported during COVID-19 (40%) compared to pre-COVID-19 (16%).
• Of 75% who were drinking alone at the time of the survey, 41% reported that they were drinking alone more often compared to before COVID-19.
• 41% of people with a mental health or neuro-developmental condition reported they were drinking more due to increased stress about COVID-19 compared to 21% of people without mental health or neuro-developmental conditions.
• Those who increased drinking and reported a mental health or neuro-developmental condition were at least twice as likely to report feeling (more) depressed (36% vs. 13%) and/or lonely (30% vs. 15%).

Changes in the use of other drugs

• The drug types reportedly used in the past 30 days by this sample were THC containing cannabis products (28%), followed by CBD only cannabis products (9%), then cocaine (7%), MDMA (6%), prescription benzodiazepines (5%), amphetamine (4%), prescription opioids and LSD each at 3%.
• 39% of respondents who used cannabis in the past year reported increased use of THC containing cannabis products compared to before COVID-19 with the  biggest increases reported by respondents in Australia (49%) and the USA (46%).
• For other drugs, 37% reported having increased their use of prescription
  benzodiazepines, 26% CBD only cannabis products, 23% psilocybin, and 21% for cocaine, LSD and ketamine.
• The use of drugs that are commonly used in party settings saw the biggest decreases. More than one third of respondents who reported use of MDMA (41%), cocaine (38%), amphetamine (35%) and ketamine (34%) indicated that they used less frequently when compared to before COVID-19.

Drug markets

• While decreased availability of illegal drugs compared to before COVID-19 was reported by 56%, what is striking is that perceptions of purity and the range of drugs remained largely unchanged reflecting the resilience of the illicit drug trade and existing supplies being able to meet demand through a period of less international trade and travel.
• Over one third (36%) of respondents who used illegal/non-prescribed drugs reported that the price of illegal drugs in their country increased compared to before COVID-19.
• While over half (52%) reported that their last drug purchase was not impacted by the pandemic, some respondents reported signs of market scarcity, including paying a higher price (14%), taking longer to get the drugs than usual (10%), more difficulty finding a supplier (8%) and more difficulty finding their drug of choice (5%).
• At the last purchase between March and June 2020, 16% reported buying larger quantities compared with before COVID-19. Notably, stockpiling was reported as a reason for increased drug use, particularly for THC-containing cannabis (20%).

Conclusion

It will be interesting to see whether these changes in patterns of consumption are maintained, particularly if the country faces another extended period of lockdown as many fear. Overall, readers will have noticed that many, but far from all, regular users of cocaine and Ecstasy reduced their consumption, presumably because they would normally take these substances in a social situation on a night out. We must wait and see whether people who have been denied this part of their lifestyle return to using drugs on a night out if and when the night-time economy fully re-opens.

It appears that the combination of rising infection rates but continuing low levels of hospitalisation is attributable to the fact that a high proportion of people with the virus at the moment are young adults who rarely suffer from serious symptoms. The concern for the government is of course that these young adults will transmit the virus to older, more vulnerable individuals.

It may be that this is the rationale for the Government’s decision to introduce a new criminal offence for people organising or facilitating unlawful gatherings which comes into force on Friday 28 August 2020 — deliberately timed to be in place before the last Bank Holiday of the summer.

Those facilitating or organising illegal raves, unlicensed music events, or any other unlawful gathering of 30 people or more may face a £10,000 fine – placing a new deterrent on the breaches that put the public most at risk.

Fines of £100 can continue to be issued to those who participate in illegal gatherings and those who have already received a fine will see the amount of doubled on each offence, up to a maximum of £3,200.

It comes as the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) warned police forces in England and Wales will continue to increase patrols to prevent illegal gatherings during the pandemic heading into the bank holiday weekend.

In areas of concern – such as Leicester and Greater Manchester – deployments have already been larger than on New Year’s Eve.

National Police Chiefs’ Council Lead for Unlicensed Music Events, Commander Ade Adelekan, responded to the new legislation:

We welcome this further deterrent against those who irresponsibly put people’s health and safety at risk by organising these events. Unlicensed music events are unlawful and unregulated. These events are hosted without regard for the safety of those attending, and police have observed cases of anti-social behaviour, sales of drugs and gang activity.

It is vital that forces obtain information about any illegal events at the earliest opportunity. As organisers are able to spread the word about these events quickly online, timely information about suspicious activity or plans enables forces to plan ahead and take effective action against them.

To the organisers of this sort of activity, I strongly advise that you seriously consider the risks you’re creating for everyone in attendance and the wider community. There is a risk of prosecution for those who organise these events and equipment will be seized.

The Home Office says that the Metropolitan Police has responded to more than 1,000 unlicensed events since the end of June, receiving information on more than 200 events across the city in a single weekend. Similarly, the BBC reported today (23 August 2020) that last night officers in Birmingham disrupted more than 70 unlicensed social gatherings including house and street parties, one of which featured marquees and a DJ. Similar stories feature in local media all around the country including in places like Blackburn, currently under additional lockdown restrictions.

Aside from the risk of spreading the virus, the Home Office also drew attention to the fact that many illegal events may be linked to criminality and some are marred by violence. This week two teenagers were stabbed at a warehouse rave in Borehamwood, Hertfordshire.

As always, there are additional risks of all sorts at unlicensed events with organisers and customers alike often more reticent to call for emergency medical help for any drug- or health-related issue.

Update 7 September 2020

The Guardian has revealed that Leeds City Council issued seven of the £10,000 fines to organisers of illegal raves on the first weekend (August Bank Holiday) that it was possible to do so with Council Leader Judith Blake urging young people to take their share of responsibility in not transmitting coronavirus.

From illegal block parties and outdoor raves in London, Manchester and many other cities to big events in Lisbon, Berlin and Nantes and other places in Europe, a small but significant number of party goers have not been able to resist partying at a time of year when they would normally be going to a whole range of events and festivals.

While some of these events have been large scale happenings which clearly got out of control and resulted in confrontations with police trying to restore order and re-impose the requirements of lockdown , there have been many other house parties and smaller events in warehouses and other venues which have not been featured in the media. While escapism from lockdown and the pandemic is obviously part of the reason for people attending these happenings, other event goers have talked about how the rave community is their main support network and they have struggled with lockdown without being able to be together with like-minded individuals. What all these events have in common is an acknowledgement by participants that once people have taken drink or drugs and become fully involved in music and dancing again, social distancing guidelines are soon ignored.

With many lockdown restrictions being lifted but the official nighttime economy still shut, it seems inevitable that these sorts of illegal raves and other events will become increasingly common over the summer.

Of course it is unlikely that all the safer nightlife policies and practices highlighted on the pages of this site will be adopted by such illegal events. We have seem great improvements in drug and alcohol harm reduction practices in the night-time economy with pubs, clubs and festivals taking greater responsibility for their customers’ wellbeing. Onsite drug testing, festival welfare, well-trained medical staff and prompt information about high-strength or snide tablets have all contributed to making the UK’s growing festival scene safer. The best examples of this sort of best practice have normally stemmed from genuine partnerships between promoters, police and welfare services.

This sort of harm reduction approach is unlikely to translate well to illegal events which are often organised online with the final location only announced at the last minute, making proper organisation almost impossible. It appears that drug supply routes have adapted to the global pandemic and people going to these events are unlikely to find it difficult to buy their usual substances of choice.

It will be important for anyone choosing to attend these events to take responsibility for the welfare of both themselves and others in terms both of their vulnerability to contracting coronavirus and all the usual risks associated with drink, drugs and a night out. It is highly unlikely that those organising these events will be proactively looking out for the welfare of participants or calling ambulance services in medical emergencies.

We have already seen fatalities. In Oldham, Greater Manchester, 4,000 people attended a so-called quarantine rave in Daisy Nook Country Park where a 20-year-old man died of a suspected drug overdose. Across town in Carrington, a further 2,000 revellers gathered on waste ground where a woman was raped and three people were reportedly stabbed.

The sooner we find a safe way of opening the night-time economy, the better it will be for both the industry and its customers.

However, although we know there are large-scale surveys been undertaken by the likes of Release and Global Drug Survey, these findings have not yet been published.

Nevertheless, some trends do seem to be emerging.

Alcohol under lockdown

To date, there has been, perhaps unsurprisingly, more information emerging on peoples’ alcohol use than their use of illegal drugs. Alcohol Change UK commissioned research to find out whether people’s drinking habits have, in fact, changed during lockdown. The results were interesting. It’s clear that people in the UK are drinking differently as a result of coronavirus and the lockdown, but we aren’t all responding in the same way. The research found that changes in drinking habits are happening in two main directions.

While much media coverage has focused on people’s drinking increasing, more than one in three of the 1,555 drinkers surveyed said that they have either stopped drinking or reduced how often they drink, since the lockdown. Six per cent have stopped drinking entirely.

However, some people are drinking more often. Around one in five drinkers (21%) reported  that they have been drinking more frequently since the lockdown. This suggests that around 8.6 million UK adults are drinking more frequently under lockdown.

While almost half of drinkers said they are drinking about the same amount on a typical drinking day, 15% said they have been drinking more per session since lockdown. Although not everyone who drinks more often also drinks more per session, the survey shows a high level of consistency; most people who are drinking more often are also drinking more on a typical drinking day, and vice versa.

It is the people who were already drinking the least often who have cut down in the greatest number. Nearly half (47%) of people who drank once a week or less have cut down or stopped drinking, compared to just over a quarter (27%) of people who drank two to six times a week, and just one in five (17%) daily drinkers. Worryingly, nearly one in five (18%) daily drinkers have further increased the amount they drink since lockdown.

Drug use under lockdown

We have much less reliable information about patterns of drug use under lockdown. A survey of 327 drug users by the Scottish drug charity Crew  found that more than half its respondents (57%) were taking drugs more often, while approximately a fifth (19%) had reduced their consumption. Unsurprisingly, changes in the type of drugs people were taking is largely driven by the changing environment – drugs like MDMA were not being taken as often due to clubs and pubs being closed, while some people were increasing their cannabis (and alcohol) consumption when alone in the house. Other drivers behind changes in behaviour included not being around people who they would usually take drugs with, or the complete opposite – being around people who didn’t know that they would normally take drugs. This last situation obviously applies to lots of young adults now locked down in their family home with their parents.

There are stories of some people taking drugs “together” online via Zoom, House Party and the other video calling platforms with which we are now so familiar. But it’s hard to know how common this is.

Many experts have speculated that it’s likely that a considerable number of recreational drug users will have significantly reduced or even stopped completely taking drugs during lockdown.

Looking to the future

Like everything else in 2020, it is extremely difficult to predict what will happen after lockdown is lifted, especially if and when we finally get to the point that the night-time economy is fully reopened.

It may be that lots of people who have had an enforced break from illegal drug use may be not so keen to continue using at their previous levels, especially if they have either appreciated the extra income they now have or are struggling for money because of the economic impacts of the coronavirus.

However, it is equally easy to imagine a future where lots of people are desperate to get back to having a big night out. For those people for whom taking drugs was an integral part of that experience, there will be real concerns that their tolerance will have dropped substantially and that they will be at risk of unintended overdoses.

And, of course, the picture may be complicated more if there are a series of peaks in the virus with lockdown restrictions being lifted and reinstated over the coming months.

Safer Nightlife will keep you up to date with the latest research as it’s published.

As readers will know, finding common ground for the professionals regulating the entertainment business and the organisations providing it and helping them to work together to ensure that as many people as possible have an enjoyable and safe time going out, is not a straightforward matter at the best of times.

The COVID-19 pandemic complicates what can be a difficult set of issues in the first place.

We are a long way from knowing when the lockdown will be lifted and, in particular, when restrictions will be removed from the night-time economy. It seems safe to assume that all places where people congregate in large numbers and in close proximity are likely to be much further down the list of businesses returning to normal.

Many owners, managers and promoters of night-time venues and festivals are currently trying to work out their options to resume operations. A straw poll among Safer Nightlife contributors has highlighted some of the main challenges ahead:

• How will the sector survive economically? Would it be better to reopen some venues in the nearish future, even if that runs the risk of being shut down again? Or would it be better to keep staff furloughed for as long as possible and look to re-open when chances of continuity of business are higher?
• What will opening-day look like? Would it be better to open premises in a phased manner – but, if so, which businesses should be allowed to open first? Smaller businesses may be in a more economically fragile situation, larger ones would help restore the economy more quickly.
• When venues do reopen, how will businesses manage if they have lost large numbers of experienced and skilled bar staff and/or door teams – especially if that skill set is particular related to keeping people who use drugs safe?
• Will large numbers of people be tempted to overindulge in both alcohol and illegal substances once they are able to socialise again? People who have been using much less alcohol and/or drugs for a variety of reasons at home (cost and availability being the main ones) may well have lost their tolerance for consuming large amounts of substances. Indeed, many regular users of illegal substances may have changed the types of drug that they take if they have not been able to source their preferred ones. This may mean that they are less experienced at knowing what, for them as individuals, is a safe and enjoyable dose.
• What will be the appropriate level of regulation and associated enforcement going forwards? Best practice has generally evolved over several years through a partnership approach and dialogue between local authority and police specialists and different venues. How will we get back to the situation where expectations around a range of issues – such as when to confiscate drugs and when to call the police – are clearly understood by all parties? It seems a reasonable assumption that those who have been working flat out for local authorities and police services throughout the pandemic, often dealing with extremely harrowing circumstances, will need some time to take leave and recharge their batteries.

One thing does appear certain. The need for good planning and proper training is going to be even more necessary than usual. In the UK, we are in the slightly fortunate situation that a number of other countries across Europe are likely to be opening their nightlife venues again before us. Safer Nightlife will try to track this process and bring you lessons learnt as they become apparent.

If you have concerns about the issues raised in this blog post, do please get in touch via our contact form.