Dr Adam Winstock: "Let clubs be honest about drug use so they can educate people and save lives"

Data from the Global Drug Survey (GDS) makes it very clear that most people want to know how to use drugs more safely and many seek out the right information. But many others won’t be bothered to visit drug education sites like ours. That’s one reason I have been working Mixmag since 1999. Now imagine if simple, credible, information was available at venue websites and was offered without fear of prejudice, losing their licence or closure. Imagine how many millions of people could be provided with potentially lifesaving information. This year GDS is asking promoters, DJs, those in licensing and the police to think about a world where we can all be a little more honest and how everyone would win. GDS thinks police and licensing should make it a legal requirement for venues and promoters to offer harm reduction advice on their websites and ensure all staff are trained in the responsible service of alcohol and to know how to recognize and respond to drug / alcohol intoxication. GDS has loads of resources that would do the job and we’d love to help - just ask.

We should bin the term 'zero tolerance' as it’s as laughable as the war on the drugs itself. Instead we should aspire to ‘zero harm’. Even where drugs remain illegal I think a world is possible where ‘zero tolerance’ can sit along ‘maximum education’. Looking out for the health and well being of people who attend dance music events is good for everyone including the sustainability of the wider industry.

Safer drug use at venues means less use of emergency services; safer drug use at venues means less people leaving early and spending less at the bar; safer drug use at venues means happier, healthier punters who are more likely to be repeat visitors. Words don’t change practice in the real world – but profit, policy and people do.

A local area or council should accept the GDS challenge. They should work with GDS and a local club owner/promoter and let us talk about drugs on the honestly and offer harm reduction information videos. Let police, licensing and club staff attend the same GDS training course on recognising and responding to drug related risk based on training created for the Australian and UK police, which would include responsible service of alcohol. Let us survey club goers on their views about this new approach. And then let’s see what happens. I bet the world won’t fall apart but customers love the approach and take better care of themselves and their mates. I imagine local emergency services may respect the local efforts and might even see themselves less busy. If you want to talk please contact me.

If you want to help us make drug use safer for people who like to party, please add your experience to the biggest survey of drug use in the world at globaldrugsurvey.com/GDS2017