Drug students ‘need help, not punishment’

 Students caught with drugs should not be arrested or disciplined, their union has said.

The call comes in a report by the National Union of Students (NUS) that argues that such sanctions “fail to recognise the complex reasons that lead people to use drugs” and risk marginalising minority groups such as women and LGBT+ students.

The report says some universities, colleges and student unions see drug use “wholly as a problem to be eradicated through suspensions, evictions and surveillance”. It adds: “We believe punitive measures rarely help. Instead, they prevent marginalised and vulnerable students from seeking help and support.”

Almost two fifths of students currently use drugs, and 17 per cent have done so in the past, said a survey of 2,800 people conducted by the NUS.