Universities told to stop reporting students caught with illegal drugs to police

Universities should not report students to the police or exclude them from courses for possessing illegal drugs, the National Union of Students (NUS) has said.

Simply disciplining students "fails to recognise the complex reasons that lead people to use drugs", it claimed in a new report.

Instead, it suggests, students should be supported and given advice and information.

Almost two fifths (39 per cent) of students currently use drugs, and 17 per cent have done so in the past, according to a survey of around 2,800 people conducted by the NUS as part of the report.

It defines drugs as illegal substances, such as cannabis, ecstasy and cocaine, as well as non-prescribed drugs and so-called "legal highs".

The survey indicates that the majority of those polled (62 per cent) do not have a problem with students taking drugs recreationally, while many believe that universities and colleges should not punish those that do.

Overall, nearly half (47 per cent) agreed that institutions should not penalise students who take drugs, with 27 per cent disagreeing.

"The findings from our study call into question both the effectiveness and fairness of a punitive approach when addressing student drug use," the NUS said.

"Policy responses that focus solely on disciplining students fail to recognise the complex reasons that lead people to use drugs and therefore there is a risk that they may only serve to further marginalise certain groups of students, such as poorer students and those from a liberation background."

It goes on to argue that "students should not be disciplined for drug-related behaviour that does not constitute a criminal offence" such as possessing drug paraphernalia.

And the union says that students "should not be reported to the police or permanently excluded" for possessing an illegal drug.

"If a student is reported to the police for a suspected or alleged drug offence (eg supplying a controlled drug), they should be signposted to legal advice and information services," the report adds.

It argues that mental health is a key factor in drug use by many students, and that certain groups, such as women, LGBT+ and disabled students were more likely to take drugs for mental health-related reasons.