Drugs and Your Accommodation

One of the reasons why drugs can be so harmful is that they affect different people in different ways. Physical factors, past history, mood and surroundings can all affect your individual response to drugs and medications. Some people might take drugs once and experience negative impacts, while others may use drugs for a while and not see any negative impact. When it comes to illegal drugs, it's also difficult to know exactly what you're taking, and whether it's a dosage you can tolerate. It's important then that you're safe when using a substance, and honest if something does happen.

The impact of drugs on your behaviour can often make you more likely to breach other terms of your contract. Different drugs do have different effects on your behaviour, but in general when you’ve taken a drug you will often be less in control. You might have the sensation of feeling spaced out or you might have lowered inhibitions. Whatever the case, using drugs will often make you more likely to be involved in misconduct. It's worth remembering that you're still responsible for your conduct even when you're using drugs, so it's safer to avoid putting yourself in a situation where you might lose control. Generally, students under the influence of drugs often forget, or sometimes deliberately breach, basic student accommodation policies.

Since the possession, use, and selling of drugs is a criminal offence, it also constitutes breaches of both your Residence Contract and the Regulations Relating to the Discipline of Students.

The use, possession or sale of drugs would constitute a breach clause ‘Respect for Others’ under your Residence Contract. 

In this section you’ve agreed: 

• Not to allow the Accommodation to be used for any criminal or illegal purpose, including selling, supplying or using illegal or new psychoactive substances.

• Not to commit any indictable offence or criminal act.

• Not to smoke or vape in the Accommodation or the Residence, or within two metres of any door or window (if you're smoking or vaping outside).

• Not to take part in any behaviour that's likely to cause injury, or impair safety, anywhere in the accommodation.

A situation that we sometimes see at University is people buying drugs in bulk, and then either selling onto or splitting the costs with friends. In the UK this is considered dealing, or potentially possession with intent to supply, and has both serious disciplinary and legal penalties.

Whilst under the influence of drugs, students are more likely to breach regulations, their residence contract, and basic accommodation policies. Two policies that are often breached are the Quiet Time Policy and the ACS smoke free policy.

To summarise:

• Under the Quiet Time policy you’ve agreed not to make or allow any loud noise to be played between 23.00 hours and 07.00 hours every day and at any time in the week before and throughout assessment/examination periods. 

• The ACS smoke free policy states that you cannot smoke or vape in the Accommodation or the Residence or within 2 metres of any door or window if smoking or vaping in the Residence Grounds.

You might also have more disregard for the Universities Fire Safety rules, such as tampering with your smoke detector, or activating the fire alarm through negligence. The University has a zero-tolerance approach to fire safety, meaning that any actions that breach these rules will result in immediate disciplinary action. Being less in control of your own behaviour might also lead to you accidentally or intentionally causing damage to your accommodation or using inappropriate language or behaviour to those around you. 

For more information on these issues please visit our articles on Fire Safety, Noise Issues, and Damage, Vandalism and Maintenance Issues.

Being under the influence of drugs AND committing a separate act of misconduct would require an escalated response, and potentially harsher penalties, as this would constitute two counts of misconduct. We would consider being under the influence of drugs as an aggravating factor, and as a student you should be aware that the use of such substances is illegal in the UK.

Under UK Law, drugs are classified into three distinct groups, based on the degree of harm to the body, rather than its effect on the body. Drugs will be classified into either Class A, Class B, or Class C. 

The Law takes into consideration the three classifications, Class A, Class B, and Class C, and the penalty associated with drug possession, use, and/or distribution will depend on the classification of the drug involved. 

For example, the penalties for illegal possession of classified drugs are as follows: 

• Class A: Up to 7 years in prison, an unlimited fine or both

• Class B: Up to 5 years in prison, an unlimited fine or both

• Class C: Up to 2 years in prison, an unlimited fine or both

Whilst the penalties for supplying or producing illegal drugs are:

• Class A: Up to life in prison, an unlimited fine, or both

• Class B: Up to 14 years in prison, an unlimited fine, or both

• Class C: Up to 14 years in prison, an unlimited fine, or both