In November 2023, UWE Bristol and Students Union took part in the National Student Drug & Alcohol Survey run by NUS Drug & Alcohol Impact, we have taken part in this survey since it began in 2021 and build on the data gathered in the Alcohol Survey which started in 2015.

Each year we use this information and findings to inform our messaging, campaigns and service delivery in the year ahead, to ensure we are adapting and responding to the ever changing culture around drugs including alcohol in the student population.

Key findings

When asking our non-drinking students their reasons for not using alcohol:

• 19% of them stated they don’t like the effect it has on them.
• This has been gradually increasing over the past 3-years with 2021 -2022 data showing 9% reported this to be the reason they choose not to use alcohol.
   

We asked our non-drinking students if they felt their decision to not use alcohol had had a positive or negative impact on their university life in general:

• 48% of these students felt it had had a positive to very positive impact on their university life, whereas 30% felt they were unsure or didn’t know what impact it had had.
• 17% felt not drinking alcohol had had a negative impact on their university life in general, over-all students felt.Generally speaking those who choose not to drink alcohol feel this is a positive experience whilst at university.

When asking all students whether they thought drinking and getting drunk was a part of university culture:

• 81% agreed.
• Overall, this number has been reducing over the past 7 years from being at its peak 90% of students agreeing in 2016.

Students were asked My university friends expected me to drink regularly and get drunk

• 72% of disagreed with this statement, which has been gradually decreasing over the past 7 years when in 2015 students were asked the same question on 58% disagreed.
   

These findings evidence that whilst using alcohol is generally regarded as normal student behaviour, we are seeing a downward trend in alcohol use and the expectations around getting drunk and a wider demographic of students who choose not to drink alcohol.
 

We asked all students if they agreed or disagreed with this statement drug taking is part of university culture:

• 36% agreed compared to 2020 when 56% of students agreed with this statement.

We asked students who reported to not use drugs currently their reasons for this,

• 51% stated they are Worried about the effect using drugs will have on me, this statement remains the most common reason with for the past 3 years.

Whilst using drugs for recreational use remains the most prevalent reason to use, we have seen a gradual increase in students reporting they use drugs to escape reality, topping the chart this year with 25% of student who use drugs reporting they did so for the purpose of escaping reality.

If you would like to read more about the survey findings you can do so here.

run by NUS Drug & Alcohol Impact, we have taken part in this survey since it began in 2021 and build on the data gathered in the Alcohol Survey which started in 2015.

Each year we use this information and findings to inform our messaging, campaigns and service delivery in the year ahead, to ensure we are adapting and responding to the ever changing culture around drugs including alcohol in the student population.

Key findings

When asking our non-drinking students their reasons for not using alcohol:

• 19% of them stated they don’t like the effect it has on them.

• This has been gradually increasing over the past 3-years with 2021 -2022 data showing 9% reported this to be the reason they choose not to use alcohol.
   

We asked our non-drinking students if they felt their decision to not use alcohol had had a positive or negative impact on their university life in general:

• 48% of these students felt it had had a positive to very positive impact on their university life, whereas 30% felt they were unsure or didn’t know what impact it had had.
   
• 17% felt not drinking alcohol had had a negative impact on their university life in general, over-all students felt.
   
• Generally speaking those who choose not to drink alcohol feel this is a positive experience whilst at university.
   

When asking all students whether they thought drinking and getting drunk was a part of university culture:

• 81% agreed.

• Overall, this number has been reducing over the past 7 years from being at its peak 90% of students agreeing in 2016.

Students were asked My university friends expected me to drink regularly and get drunk

• 72% of disagreed with this statement, which has been gradually decreasing over the past 7 years when in 2015 students were asked the same question on 58% disagreed.
   

These findings evidence that whilst using alcohol is generally regarded as normal student behaviour, we are seeing a downward trend in alcohol use and the expectations around getting drunk and a wider demographic of students who choose not to drink alcohol.
 

We asked all students if they agreed or disagreed with this statement drug taking is part of university culture:

• 36% agreed compared to 2020 when 56% of students agreed with this statement.

We asked students who reported to not use drugs currently their reasons for this,

• 51% stated they are Worried about the effect using drugs will have on me, this statement remains the most common reason with for the past 3 years.

Whilst using drugs for recreational use remains the most prevalent reason to use, we have seen a gradual increase in students reporting they use drugs to escape reality, topping the chart this year with 25% of student who use drugs reporting they did so for the purpose of escaping reality.

If you would like to read more about the survey findings you can do so here.