‘We need to ensure that people are safe when they’re choosing to take drugs’

A ‘judgement free’ campaign has been launched to help reduce the harm of alcohol and drug use in the city.

Bristol is the first city in the UK to launch this kind of city-wide campaign, which aims to open up an honest conversation about the risk factors around drug and alcohol use, while promoting safety.

‘Harm reduction and the night time economy’, launched by Bristol Nights, aims to move away from the traditional zero-tolerance approach and to build trust between people who go out to pubs, clubs, bars and festivals in Bristol and between venues, licencing authorities and police.

Today we join forces with partners across Bristol to launch a coordinated, city-wide harm reduction campaign.

We believe in non-judgemental solutions to reducing the harm of drugs and alcohol in Bristol’s night time economy

Find out more ? https://t.co/RlDyY5YuYR pic.twitter.com/mrurWCUICf

— Bristol Nights (@BristolNightsHQ) December 14, 2022

The campaign, which launched on Wednesday, aims to raise awareness of spotting the signs of a drug related emergency and what to do in that situation.

Labour councillor and cabinet member for public health and communities, Ellie King, said the campaign is “all about having a more human-centred and compassionate approach to people’s use of drugs”, rather than a zero-tolerance approach. She said:

“We need to ensure that people are safe when they’re choosing to take drugs. It isn’t about condoning drug use, it’s about accepting that we live in a reality where drug use takes place.

“Bristol has a history of having a war on drugs attitude towards drug taking in the city. There’s been a zero-tolerance and enforcement heavy approach and the results of that have not been great, they haven’t had the results that were perhaps intended.

“We need to be able to look at different approaches while listening to the research. We’ve heard many stories of people who have taken drugs and fallen into the harbour or taken drugs that they didn’t know what was in them and the substance was too strong, having a negative outcome and leading to hospitalisation or death and that’s just not acceptable.

“These deaths are completely avoidable and with a different approach we can ensure that they’re being used safely and they don’t bring about any harm.”

Councillor Ellie King, said the campaign is “all about having a more human-centred and compassionate approach to people’s use of drugs” – photo: Rachel Sutherland

The campaign, launched in collaboration with Avon & Somerset police, UWE, The University of Bristol, and both of the university’s student unions – to name a few, offers a practical guide for venue owners and managers across the city to give to staff on how to reduce harm within the night time economy.

Drink spiking awareness is also something the campaign wants to focus on – to spread the word on the venues which provide spiking test kits behind the bar.

As part of the campaign, next year The Loop charity will be offering a monthly drug-testing service in Bristol, where people can test their drugs anonymously while getting advice from a health professional.

More information about the campaign and advice and guidance can be found on the Bristol Nights website.

Main photo: Bristol Nights 

Read next: 

• New Bristol Nights campaign to take stand against sexual harassment 
• Why we must celebrate the women in Bristol’s night time economy
• New campaign gives students top tips for staying safe in Bristol 

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