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Recent trends show that attitudes toward drinking alcohol are changing. According to drinkaware, half of young adults are now choosing no or low-alcohol drinks - this number has doubled since 2018.

At ÌÇÐÄÔ­´´, a 2024 student survey found that 55% of respondents said they don't drink regularly. More students are exploring new ways to socialise and unwind that don't necessarily involved alcohol.

Why are people drinking less?

Everyone's reasons are different, but some common benefits include:

• Saving money
• Better quality sleep
• Improved mood and focus
• Brighter skin and more energy
• Avoiding hangovers
• Feeling more in control
• Less at risk of alcohol related accidents, injuries or regrets

Alcohol and your health

Alcohol is a depressant, which means it slows down the way your brain and body function. While it might make you feel relaxed in the moment, alcohol can actually worsen low mood and anxiety once its effects wear off.
If you’re feeling stressed or low, finding other ways to unwind - like physical activity, creative hobbies, or talking things through - can make a real difference. You can always reach out to friends, family, or the University Support & Wellbeing team for guidance.

Short-term effects of drinking can include: vomiting, loss of balance, poor sleep, and slurred speech.Long-term heavy drinking increases the risk of health problems such as liver disease, heart issues, obesity, and some cancers.

Some people can develop alcohol dependence (Alcohol Use Disorder), where it becomes difficult to control or reduce drinking despite negative consequences. If you’re concerned about your own or someone else’s drinking, support is available. Reaching out early makes recovery easier.

How much, how often?

There’s no completely safe level of alcohol but if you chose to drink, the NHS advises adults not to regularly exceed 14 units of alcohol per week. That’s about 6 glasses of wine, 6 pints or 14 measures of spirits per week. If you drink close to this amount it’s advised you spread your drinking over at least three days and include alcohol-free days each week.

Binge drinking (drinking a lot of alcohol in a short space of time - even if this is occasionally) and heavy drinking (drinking more than 14 units a week) can increase risk of accidents, aggression, and harm to yourself or others.

Tools and resources 

Many students will choose to avoid trying or using any type of drug, while others may try them or use them regularly. Whatever your attitude towards drugs, it's important that you are aware of the facts so that you can recognise the risks. The risks can concern personal safety and wellbeing, as well as the legal consequences involved.

Knowing your facts and how to reduce your risk of harm could save your life or the life of a friend. It will also help you with your health and wellbeing.

Stay SMART

• Strength: You can never be sure of the strength, content or even if the drug is what you, or a friend, has been told it is. Substances are often mixed to 'bulk' a product and can change form throughout the production chain. This means you don't know exactly what you're taking. This can happen with common drugs, including pre-rolled spliffs marketed as being for 'beginners'.
• Mixing: Taking more than one substance can be unpredicatable and dangerous. This includes alcohol e.g. mixing cocaine with alcohol can and has resulted in heart failure - even in young, otherwise healthy people
• Awareness: Be aware of risks, surroundings and delayed effects - make informed choices, not assumptions
• Reactions: Everyone's tolerance is different and reactions (physical and mental) can be unpredictable. Reactions can be delayed - don't rush into taking another does because you think the first isn't working. 
• Tell: If you decide to use drugs, tell a trusted friend so they can help if anything goes wrong. Don't hestitate to get medical help if needed - your health and safety comes first

Whatever happens, look out for your friends and keep eachother safe. In an emergency call Security on 0115 951888 or 111 for a non-emergency if off campus. Call 999 if the persons is seriously ill or injured and their life is at risk.

Inform medical staff what drugs have been taken and give them a sample if possible.

It’s well known that smoking is harmful to your health but because it's addictive, it can be hard to cut back or stop.

Smoking damages the lungs and heart, weakens the immune system, and reduces energy. It also makes it harder to concentrate and learn, while causing bad breath, stained teeth. If you’re under 25 years old you become addicted faster, since your brain is still developing. In the long run, it can lead to serious diseases like cancer and heart problems. 

According to NHS England there are 10 benefits to giving up smoking: 

• Being able to breathe more easily 
• Increased energy 
• Lower stress levels 
• Studies suggest you will be three times more appealing to prospective partners than smokers 
• Improved smell and taste 
• Younger looking skin 
• Whiter teeth and sweeter breath 
• Increased fertility 
• Reduction in the risk of serious disease 
• Improvement in circulation 

For more information on giving up smoking visit .

Shisha, Paan and Bidi

Shisha (sometimes known as water pipe or hooka) is a mixture of tobacco, molasses/sugar and fruit flavourings. It tends to be smoked through a water pipe. Paan, betel quid or gutkha is a micture of ingredients, including betel net (also called areca nut), herbs, spices and often tobacco, wrapped in betel leaf. Paan or gutkha is a popular smokeless chewing tobacco.
 
Whether smoked or chewed, they can be as damaging, addictive and dangerous as cigarettes. They put you at risk of the same kinds of diseases as cigarette smokers, including cancer and serious lung disease. 

For more information about Shisha go to the British Heart Foundation website. 

E-cigarettes and vaping

The long term risks of vaping using e-cigarettes are not yet clear and the liquid and vapour contain some potentially harmful chemicals also found in cigarette smokem but at a much lower level. Unlike tobacco smoke, E-cigarettes do not produce tar or carbon monoxide which are harmful. They still contain nicotine which is addictive.  

According to the Student Gambling Survey, 60% of students gambled in 2024 and 48% said they gambled more than they could affford. Gambling comes in many forms - whether is sports betting, bingo, casino games or fruit machines. There are also other less obvious forms of gambling such as in-game purchasing and gamification of online stores. The accessiblilty of online gambling makes it so easy to become spend more than you planned and the companies behind them know how to access your reward systems to get you addicted.

Understanding gambling and its impact 

Gambling addiction is when you experience an impulse to gamble, regardless of the consequences. It's a feeling of not being able to stop. However, gambling doesn’t have to be an addiction to impact negatively on your life.  

What starts out as fun can turn problematic, especially when other areas of life start to become impacted. 46% of students in the Student Gambling Survey said gambling had an effect on their university experience. This included trouble paying for food, attempting to access hardship loads and missing social activities and work deadlines. 

One of the biggest risks of gambling is losing money or getting into debt but gambling problems can also affect your relationships, your social life, and your mental wellbeing. 

If you’re struggling with debt from gambling - or from any other addiction -you might feel like you have to deal with it alone. It's also common to feel shame, guilt, or denial. These feelings are common, but support is available, and getting help can make a big difference. If gambling is affecting your finances or your mental health, it’s okay to reach out. There are caring people out there who can help you get back on tracl.

Changing your behaviour

Changing your gambling behaviour can be difficult especially if gambling has become a key part of your life. However, there are some practical steps that you can take to start to address the issue. 

Places you can visit for support: 
Gamcare 
NHS Gambling Addiction

What can help 

Self-exclusion is a way to limit the amount of online gambling you're able to do by asking the gambling provider to exclude you from gambling for a specified time. 

Find further details about self-exclusion here. 

To self-exclude go to Gamstop Online, a free, independent self-exclusion scheme for people with online gambling problems. You can also install software onto your phone to block certain websites using gamban, the current price for a single user is £24.99 per year.