Staying safe

Staying safe

The basics

• The only way to eliminate the risks posed by drugs is to not use them – and remember that most people don’t. 
• If you are going out, make sure a responsible adult, ideally a parent or caregiver, knows where you are going, who you will be with, and when you expect to be back. 
• Think about how you are getting home and have a back up plan just in case, such as a taxi app on your phone with payment details saved. 
• Stick with your friends and look out for each other. 
• If your plans change, communicate them to your responsible adult. 
• If you feel uncomfortable or unsafe, find a way to leave and get home.  

Harness your phone

A mobile phone is a brilliant safety device – and is usually with its owner at all times – so make the most of its potential.

• Make sure your phone is fully charged, and if need be have a spare charging cable and/or powerbank to hand. 
• Ensure your emergency contact details are set so they are accessible if your screen lock is on. 
• Set up an escape plan: agree a code with a trusted adult (a single X or a specific emoji) that you can send if you don’t feel comfortable or safe. If you send it, the recipient will know what it means and phone you, meaning you can make an excuse to leave without losing face. The recipient must promise beforehand to not ask questions, otherwise you will think twice about using the plan. 
• Install a location app such as What3Words so if you don’t know where you are and you need someone to pick you up, or maybe even need to get emergency services involved, you can pinpoint your whereabouts. 
• Don’t ever be scared to call emergency services if you think the situation warrants it, whether it is the police for an event that feels very unsafe, or a friend who needs medical attention. 

Looking after your friends

If someone is planning to take drugs of any sort, they need a clear-headed and sensible friend theytrust to look out for them. If you are that friend, here is some advice: 

• Emphasise that there is no such thing as a safe drug – all drug taking is risky in many different ways.  
• Know stuff, including harm reduction measures, which are different for different substances. A good source of advice is Crew.
• Check in regularly with your friends as the familiarity you have means you are more likely to notice if something isn’t right – but also say to them that they need to tell you if they start to feel unwell or strange. 
• Avoid mixing (including with alcohol and medication) as this changes the effects and potentially increases the risks – and there are some combinations that are particularly dangerous.
  
• Start low, go slow, as anyone taking a drug from an illegal source is basically self-medicating with an unknown quantity.
  The risks can be reduced – but not eradicated – by taking a tiny amount and giving 
• it plenty of time to have 
• its effect, before  deciding whether to take any more.
• If testing is available, use it, as it means more informed decision-making.
• Think headspace, as someone who is unwell – physically or mentally – or feeling emotionally negative is more likely to have a bad experience, while someone who is excited may lose their inhibitions. Both of these can increase the risks to the individual and those around them. 
• Remember the huge number of factors that affect risk – drug, person, place. 
• Don’t forget the law, as legal consequences can be with you for years to come.
• Get help if needed, by seeking out an adult, a member of staff, or even calling 999 if you feel out of your depth.
  

When to call for help

If things start to go wrong, it isn’t uncommon for someone to worry that by calling for help they might get themselves or their friend in trouble. Not only is this unlikely to happen – the priority of the ambulance service, for example, is to provide emergency medical assistance – but getting help can literally save someone’s life. 

The following are signs that things aren’t going well, so it is important to stay with the individual and keep a close eye on how they are doing: 

• changes in mood or mental state, such as anxiety, panic attacks, excitability, aggression or sadness 
• pale, cold and clammy skin 
• overheating and/or dehydration 
• abdominal pain, nausea and/or vomiting 
• loss of coordination and/or confusion 
• hallucinations. 

In all the above, try and be calm and reassuring, and don’t try and manage on your own – get a sober and sensible friend alongside you, so if one of you has to go for help, someone will be able to stay with the person who shouldn’t be left alone.

If any of the following happen, these are signs of a medical emergency, so call 999 immediately: 

• changes in breathing 
• choking 
• seizures or convulsions 
• unconsciousness – put them in the recovery position.