1.

Purpose of Procedure

The purpose of this procedure is to provide general guidelines for School students and staff regarding action to be taken when dealing with a drug or alcohol related incident.

2.

Dealing With Drug and Alcohol Related Incidents

It is recognised that there is a broad range of possible drug and alcohol related incidents, which vary according to, among other things, the nature of the evidence of use/misuse and according to the nature of the substance used/abused. The School's aim is to deal with all such incidents in a way that balances its legal, Health and Safety, welfare, educational and confidentiality responsibilities.

3.

Different Types of Drug and Alcohol Related Incidents

3.1

There are four broad types of drug and alcohol related incidents, as follows:

3.1.1

Emergency Intoxication/Influence:
where intoxication/influence involves a perceived threat to the health, well being and/or safety of the individual(s) involved and others

3.1.2

Non-Emergency Intoxication/Influence:
where no immediate danger is apparent

3.1.3

Discovery:
where an individual finds a student in possession of, or using what is thought to be, an illegal drug or drug-related paraphernalia (eg, syringe)

3.1.4

Disclosure, Suspicion or Rumour:
where an allegation is made by a third party that a student is misusing drugs and/or alcohol, where this allegation may be substantiated by evidence.

3.2.

The School recognises the legal distinction between alcohol and other drugs, and so would not normally take disciplinary or other actions for excessive use of alcohol unless there was evidence that this was causing harm to the individual, to their studies, or resulting in unacceptable behaviour towards other people or School buildings and facilities. The School expects those in positions of authority to promote a responsible attitude among students regarding the consumption of alcohol.

4.

Key Stages for Dealing with a Drug or Alcohol Related Incident

Each case will be handled differently, and may involve different personnel, but all will involve three key stages:

4.1

Stage 1: Assessment of Incident and Immediate Action
A "front-line" person will make an initial assessment of the situation, and take any necessary immediate action, followed by referring the incident to a responsible person, which could be the Head of Security Team, or his/her deputy, the Front House Manager or the Warden for the Halls of Residence. This action may involve, as appropriate, confiscation of drugs/suspicious substances, contacting the police and ambulance services, and collecting of witness statements.

4.2

Stage 2: Referral
The responsible person will liaise with key individuals inside and outside the School (the Pro-Director and, as necessary, the Head of Residential Services, the LSE Health Service, SU Education and Welfare Officer, and the local Police station). The appropriate welfare referrals will be enacted and disciplinary procedures commenced where deemed necessary under the Code of Conduct for Disciplinary Proceedings in Halls or the Disciplinary Regulations for Students.

4.3

Stage 3: Recording
After the issue has been resolved, the general information about the case (stripped of any information that might identify the student involved), will be passed onto the Head of Security for collation. The collated information will be used to determine the level of drug misuse in the School, and to inform directions in School Policy concerning student and staff information and training needs.

5.

Sanctions

5.1

Each case will be considered on its own merits, and the sanctions applied via the Code of Conduct for Disciplinary Proceedings in Halls or the Disciplinary regulations for students, will vary. There are two broad sets of disciplinary sanctions that may apply to a student who has committed an offence:

5.1.1

Legal

The School's buildings, including Halls of Residence and the Sports Grounds, are all governed by the legal framework regarding drugs.

5.1.2

School

Any discovery of drug usage could result in suspension or expulsion from the School (following the Disciplinary regulations for students), and/or expulsion from a Hall of Residence (following the Code of Conduct for Disciplinary Proceedings in Halls of Residence).

5.2

Sanctions against offenders may range from monetary fines for more minor offences, to suspension from the School and/or Hall of Residence, and legal action, for more major offences.

6.

Appeals

6.1

Students have the right to appeal against any disciplinary sanction applied to them. The appeals procedure differs according to the regulations under which the sanctions are applied. For sanctions applied as a result of offences in Halls of Residence, the procedure is specified in the Code of Conduct for Disciplinary Proceedings in Halls of Residence, and for other offences the procedure is specified in the Disciplinary regulations for students.

This policy was agreed by Council on 25th June 2002