Student Safety Support at CAVDAS
Student Safety Support at CAVDAS
Information to help you stay safe and make informed decisions about substances, including alcohol and other drugs. Explore guidance on harm reduction, understanding risks, dealing with comedowns, and looking after your wellbeing. You’ll also find advice on supporting friends and family, recognising when someone may need help, and accessing further support services when needed.
Alcohol is a legal substance which is classed as a depressant. Alcohol is ethanol, which is a solvent. It is a liquid with varying strength, typically from 0.5% to 40%. It is illegal to buy or drink alcohol if you are under the age of 18.
Alcohol can cause mild intoxication, relaxation, cheerfulness and sociability. It can also cause dehydration, loss of coordination, slurred speech, disinhibitions, blurred vision and confusion.
Short term risks can include overdose, accidents and loss of consciousness.
Long term risks can include physical and psychological dependence, withdrawal symptoms and permanent damage to organs including the brain liver and heart which can be fatal.
Harm Reduction
- Go low and slow
- Alternate alcoholic drinks with soft drinks or water
- Ensure you’re with people you trust
- Have a plan for getting home
- Never mix alcohol with any other substances
Spiking
- Never leave your drink alone
- Never accept drinks from strangers
Cannabis is a Class B, mildly hallucinogenic substance. It comes in many forms including as dried flowers, resin and oil. It can be smoked or put into food and drink. Recently, some THC vapes have been found to contain spice, which is a strong synthetic cannabinoid and can have different effects to cannabis.
Cannabis can trigger relaxation, euphoria, and hilarity. It can also cause anxiety, paranoia, confusion, low blood pressure, short term memory loss and increased appetite.
Harm Reduction
- Start low and go slow
- Use with people you trust in a safe environment
- If smoking cannabis, do not hold the smoke in your lungs as this can increase damage to the lungs and does not increase the effect of the cannabis.
Short term risks can include confusion, memory loss and paranoia.
Long term risks can include damage to the lungs, paranoia and risk of developing mental health problems.
Ketamine is a Class B psychoactive substances. It is used medically and also used as an illegal drug. It comes in powder or tablets, which range from white to light brown in colour. In it’s medical use, it comes in liquid form.
Ketamine causes numbness of the arms and legs, euphoria and can help to relieve pain. It can also cause drowsiness, dizziness, coordination problems, confusion, hallucinations and dissociation.
Harm Reduction
- Start low and go slow
- Avoid ingesting ketamine
- Do not share using equipment
- Avoid eating before using to avoid nausea
Short term risks can include accidents, anxiety, panic attacks and or falls.
Long term risks can include psychological dependence, increased tolerance, bladder and stomach problems.
Cocaine is a Class A stimulant substance. Cocaine hydrochloride is a white powder and is typically snorted. Crack cocaine is in rocks or lump form and is typically smoked with a pipe.
Cocaine can trigger feelings of euphoria, exhilaration, elation and increased confidence. It can also cause insomnia, loss of appetite, tension, aggression and loss of inhibitions.
Harm Reduction
- Start low and go slow
- Do not share using equipment
- Do not mix cocaine with any other substance, especially alcohol. When cocaine is mixed with alcohol it creates cocaethylene which can put major stress on the heart and liver, the risk of sudden death increases by 18 times when mixing cocaine and alcohol.
Short term risk can include paranoia, anxiety, overdose, sudden death when using cocaine and alcohol.
Long term risks can include strong psychological dependence, cocaine induced psychosis. To reduce the risks of blood borne viruses, do not share your equipment with anyone.
Benzodiazepines are a Class C drug that is characterised as a depressant. They are used medically for anxiety, depression and insomnia but are also made and sold illicitly. They come in tablet or capsule form. There have recently been samples of illicit benzodiazepines which have contained nitazines, which are a synthetic opioid. This has resulted in a increase risk of possibly fatal opiate overdose when using benzodiazepines.
Benzodiazepines can make you feel relaxed, reduce anxiety and trigger feelings of euphoria. They can also make you feel drowsy, light headed and confused, and trigger loss of coordination.
Harm Reduction
- Start low and go slow
- Do not mix with other substances
- Use with people you trust in a safe environment
- Carry Naloxone, due to the risk of nitazine contamination
Short term risks can include accidents, overdose when mixing with alcohol and or opioid overdose.
Long term risks can include physical and psychological dependence, possible fatal withdrawals, anxiety, panic attacks and agoraphobia.
MDMA is a Class A substance that is characterised as a stimulant. It can be a tablet, capsule or powder form and can vary in colour, shape and size.
MDMA can cause euphoria, empathy, exhilaration, increased energy, sweating, nausea, vomiting, rapid eye movements, dehydration, confusion and anxiety.
Harm Reduction
- Start low and go slow
- If active/dancing, take regular breaks to cool down
- It is recommended to drink a pint of water every hour
- Avoid mixing with any other substance and do not mix it in with a drink
- Ensure you are in a safe environments with people you trust
Short term risks can include heatstroke, collapse, coma, overhydration and reactions to unknown contents.
Long term risks can include negative effects on wellbeing, depression, liver and kidney damage.
Staying Safer When Using Drug or Alcohol
- Have substances tested through WEDINOS before use, please be aware results are uploaded to the WEDINOS in 2-4 weeks.
- Fully charge your phone
- Plan a safe route and method home, if you are using a taxi service try to pre-book or use official ranks and always check the registration.
- Eat before drinking or using. However, avoid eating before using Ketamine specifically.
- Stay with trusted friends
- Stay in a safe environment, somewhere calm, familiar, and comfortable.
- Avoid mixing any substances including alcohol.
- Start low, go slow. Remember you can always add but you cannot take away.
- Alternate alcoholic drinks with water, soft drinks, zero or low alcohol drinks.
- Avoid accepting drinks from strangers, avoid leaving drinks unattended and use anti-spiking measures such as stop tops when available.
- Call 999 in an emergency, you won’t get in trouble for seeking help.
How to Respond to a Drug Emergency
- Call 999 immediately, getting help fast is the most important step.
- Place them in the recovery position.
- Administer naloxone.,
- For a MDMA overdose move the individual somewhere cooler.
- Stay with them until help arrives. Explain to first responders the steps you have taken and what you know. You won’t get in trouble for seeking medical support.
WEDINOS
WEDINOS is an anonymous postal drug sample testing service based in Llandough Hospital. They receive samples from all over the UK and post all results from viable tests to their website. Results are uploaded to the WEDINOS in 2-4 weeks.
WEDINOS testing packs are available from all CAVDAS bases and online testing forms are available on the WEDINOS website.
Managing Comedowns & Hangovers Safely
Managing Comedowns & Hangovers Safely
- Hydration: Slow and steady. Use water or isotonic drinks to gently rehydrate.
- Nourishing meals: Try to eat a well balanced meal including carbohydrates, proteins and a fruit.
- Rest: Take time to rest either through sleeping or low stimulation activities such as listening to quiet music, in a calm and clean environment.
- Avoid redosing or continuing to use alcohol: Allow your body time to process the substance used. Redosing or mixing can increase your risk of a serious health emergency including the risk of overdose.
- Be gentle with your emotions: It’s common to feel low mood, anxiety, or irritability during a hangover or comedown. Try to avoid making big decisions or getting caught in overthinking. Give yourself time to settle and process how you’re feeling. Being around someone you trust can help you feel grounded, and staying in a calm, safe environment can make the experience easier to manage.
Seeking Help
CAVDAS is here to support you and offer free, non‑judgemental advice. You can contact us or visit one of our bases during our opening hours if you’d like to talk or get guidance. Visit our contact page for more information.
DAN 24/7:A free, bilingual, out of hours drug and alcohol support helpline.
Mental Health Helplines:
CALL A Mental Health Helpline For Wales
In the event of a medical emergency please contact 999.
Safer Nights, Better Days is a judgement‑free monthly drop‑in for students aged 18+ across Cardiff and the Vale starting Tuesday 29th September.
The sessions offer harm‑reduction support including:
- Substance testing through WEDINOS
- STI home‑testing kits
- Contraception and sexual health advice
- Dried blood spot testing
- Private space to talk with staff, including the family and concerned others team.
Students can drop in between 10am and 4pm at 7 St Andrews Place, Cardiff CF10 3BE, no booking needed.
Students can access the Family & Concerned Others drop in and support group if they’re finding it difficult to cope with a parent, family member, friend, or someone they live with using substances or alcohol. You can come to the team for advice before talking to a friend or loved one, or simply to have a calm space to talk through your experiences and emotions.
Whether you’ve moved away to university and are feeling worried about what’s happening at home, or you’re dealing with substance use within your student accommodation or friendship group, the drop in offers non‑judgemental, choice‑led support where you can explore what feels right for you at your own pace.
Drop in at CAVDAS, 7 St Andrews Place, Cardiff, CF10 3BE
Between 10AM and 12PM
Or CAVDAS, 2-10Holton Road, Barry, CF63 4HD
Between 12:45PM and 2:30PM
Recovery Cymru offers a timetable of peer led recovery groups, open to anyone looking for connection, structure, or support in their recovery journey. The timetable includes a mix of drop in sessions, peer support groups, recovery skills workshops, and safe social activities.
Find the timetable here.
Use the Padlet to explore organisations across Cardiff and the Vale that work together to support student safety. It brings you to a collection of free advice, wellbeing services, and harm reduction resources that you can access whenever you need them.
Find a Meeting – Alcoholics Anonymous
Meetings – Cocaine Anonymous CAUK Meetings
