Drug use touches every student’s life in Ireland. Over one third of higher education students in Ireland report having used drugs in the past year, according to University College Cork’s 2021 “Drug Use in Higher Education Ireland” (DUHEI) national survey — the first of its kind. However, judging by the amount it is discussed within Trinity College Dublin, drug use is an almost invisible issue on campus. Even compared to the conservative approach to harm reduction nationwide, Trinity is lagging significantly behind other universities in its approach to harm reduction.
“Even compared to the conservative approach to harm reduction nationwide, Trinity is lagging significantly behind other universities in its approach to harm reduction”
Harm reduction can range from providing accessible information to supplying actual amenities and training programs. Examples of these practices can range from issuing information on how to use drugs safely, what drugs are dangerous to mix and how to recognise an overdose, to providing drug testing kits, syringes and respite areas at events. Having these supports in place are crucial to keeping people safe, especially at night life events where people are most likely to use substances.
Dun Laoghaire Institute Of Art Design + Technology’s Student Union (SU) ensures free drug testing kits are available from its SU building and has held talks on drug harm reduction on campus. Similarly, the National College of Art and Design’s SU has successfully ran a “Start Low and Go Slow” campaign through posters and social media over the past two years, informing students about the basics of drug safety on a night out. Both of these campaigns and initiatives are visible on campus and are generally accessible to students.
This contrasts dramatically with the response closer to home. In a survey conducted by Trinity News, all 35 Trinity students gave a resounding no when asked if they felt there are accessible drug harm reduction resources available on campus. This would suggest that even if there are resources available, the general student body is not aware of them. Nowhere is this danger more evident than at Trinity’s biggest event of the year: Trinity Ball (TBall).
To get an understanding of what harm reduction measures (if any) are in place for these students during this often chaotic evening, Trinity News spoke to current Ents Officer, Peadar Walsh, about his welfare plan for TBall.
For all his events, “[safety] has been a big emphasis for me,” Walsh stated, adding that for TBall, “we have moved the respite area to beside the main stage this year for easier access in case anyone is in trouble.” He went on to highlight Accessibility Officer Annabel McAteer’s goal, which “from the get-go has been to make this event as safe and accessible as possible.”
When asked about his approach to harm reduction as Ents Officer, Walsh emphasised the importance of making “as many resources as possible available before the event, for example with these leaflets,” gesturing to a Trinity College Dublin Students’ Union (TCDSU) leaflet in his hand which contained information about safe drug use. According to Walsh these leaflets have been available all year round from House 6 and were distributed at the second ‘Pav Fest,’ though they are “just one” of many “information resources that are available to students”. Yet, as demonstrated by Trinity New’s survey respondents, this leaflet has not gained much attention.
This sentiment was emphatically echoed by students who agreed to be interviewed anonymously. “No, I’ve never seen those [leaflets] in my life … Why wasn’t that advertised or spray painted on the campanile?” one Trinity Politics student quipped. Another student studying Biomed commented that “I had to go online to research about [drug] safety … Honestly everyone gets information off of Reddit or PsychonautWiki…I think there could be alot more posters around the place with basic information around.” Concluding, he stated that “College is one of the first places that people do drugs, so it’s kind of a joke that there’s no accessible information about it.”
Walsh, for his part, is completely aware that some people will not have seen the supposed resources provided by the SU: “What we’re conscious of is that there are people who are going to TBall who might have never interacted with the Union at all, and so we need to try and get [harm reduction information] across to them as well … The next few weeks will be vital for pushing that content and keeping people safe.” Despite this, there is no specific allocation for harm reduction in the Ents budget.
“There has been a long history of the crowds at TBall being particularly out of control and dangerous”
It is not just the drug user who is at risk however. There has been a long history of the crowds at TBall being particularly out of control and dangerous. As one student recalled from their attendance last year “Everyone there was so fucked up, it’s by far the most uncontrollable situation I’ve ever witnessed…” They continued to express the unique dangers of the event, stating “personally I have felt much safer at festivals than at [TBall], but [as a man], gender is a big factor as well, I don’t have to worry about getting spiked or pushed.”
Walsh was quick to point out the fact that “there is an issue of people, who will drink all day before TBall, and be absolutely out of their minds” and will therefore behave “with no consideration for others.” He emphasised that this year they are instilling a zero tolerance policy for aggression or pushing in the crowd: “regardless of whatever substance someone has taken there is no excuse for your actions… If you have made someone feel uncomfortable you cannot point the finger at a substance as an excuse.”
“If you have made someone feel uncomfortable you cannot point the finger at a substance as an excuse.”
The main point Walsh pressed was a plea to students: “Don’t be afraid to ask for help,” no matter what state you or your friends are in. He promised that there would be no undercover Gardaí present and that security will have no affiliations with law enforcement. Though, when informed of this, students were decidedly skeptical stating “hell no, I wouldn’t ask security for help.” This is just another example of the disconnect between TCDSU and College, with the student body. Meanwhile, harm reduction at Trinity continues to flag behind, with students remaining at risk.
