Last week (7 February 2020), the latest version of the Safer Nightlife guidance went live. Now an online resource Safer Nightlife provides the latest key advice for everyone who works in pubs, clubs and at festivals on how to manage drugs safely.
The guidance is aimed at everyone working in the nightlife economy. Whether you manage a club or organise a festival, work on the door, serve drinks or are involved in regulating this part of the economy as a licensing officer, police officer or fire officer, it’s important to keep up with the latest information and advice on best practice to minimise the risks associated with drug use and going out.
This is the fourth version of this advice produced by the London Drug and Alcohol Policy Forum, written by myself and designed by Ideology since 1996. Things have changed a lot over the last two decades; there are new drugs, legislation has changed, there is a completely new licensing system not to mention the changes wrought by the new digital economy and social media. This version of Safer Nightlife reflects these changes and has an increased focus on drug safety at festivals, of which there are now more than a thousand every year, compared to just 300 five years ago.
Safer Nightlife brings together best practice on keeping people who use drugs and go out safe and makes it as simple as possible for everyone involved to know their role and responsibilities.
Managing drugs safely
Of course, it’s not possible to get things right all the time. People will have bad experiences with drugs on nights out, a very small number will, sadly, even die as a result. But Safer Nightlife’s mission is to make these tragic events as rare as possible. On the site you can find a wide range of resources in easy to digest formats; everything from the key contents of a drug policy to what to do in a drug-induced medical emergency.
In particular, Safer Nightlife provides a common ground for the professionals regulating the entertainment business and the organisations providing it, helping them to work together to ensure that as many people as possible have an enjoyable and safe time going out.
Who is Safer Nightlife for?
While Safer Nightlife is a free online resource which can be used by anyone interested in managing drugs safely in the entertainment industry, it recognises that there are a number of key occupational groups who have different, critical roles in the industry.
So, while you can use Safer Nightlife solely as a reference guide and simply use the search tool at the top of each page to find what you need on any given occasion – such as a template for a drug policy, best practice on disposing of drugs found on your premises or what to do in a medical emergency – you can also find bespoke advice tailored to your role.
Safer Nightlife has separate sections setting out the main roles and responsibilities for ensuring the welfare of drug users going out to pubs clubs and festivals for seven separate occupational groups:
- Local Authority Licensing officers
- Police officers with licensing responsibility
- Community safety/crime reduction partnerships
- Fire officers
- Venue owners, managers and event and festival organisers
- Door supervisors and security staff
- Medical & Welfare staff
You can also find a compendium of other useful resources which includes contact details for useful organisations, training providers and a whole host of specialist advice and information sources, many of them online.
Because trends in recreational drug use and the legislation governing the nighttime economy change so regularly, Safer Nightlife will be updated regularly – the main reason why the current version has moved online.
Interested readers can subscribe to the site and receive the latest updates automatically by email.
There is also a feedback section to gather your views and ensure that the contents are updated to meet the needs of users.
Do let me know what you think.
