Is cocaine use in student halls a red line for reporting?

[Pufina]

My DD18 has moved to her university city last weekend and is living with 5 other flatmates.
She gets on with her flatmates (3 girls, 3 boys), but 1 of the girls and 1 of the boys uses cocaine. As it is freshers week, they’ve gone out every night, and cocaine has been used every night.
Yesterday there was a flatparty in the flat above my DDs flat, and the cocaine using girl took a random male student into her (and DDs ) kitchen and sniffed 4 lines of cocaine on the kitchen table.

Now for me that is very extreme as cocaine is not ever part of my life. I have not so much issue with smoking a spliff during student years, and know plenty of people who have used XTC when going out in the past.
But cocaine use in my DDs own kitchen is very extreme in my book.
My DD gets on with her flatmates, hates the drugs, but they have a nice time outside of this cocaine business.

She called me to discuss it, and I said she needs to report it as it is dangerous. Cocaine traces can be left on kitchen utensils, chopping boards, food.
But also, surely if this is happening on day 6, what will happen in the next 10 months?
This girl can bring in random strangers to sniff cocaine and the flat might become unsafe for the others.

My dd agrees with me, but also is concerned what would happen when they realise my DD has reported this. However, you can report anonimously so at least that helps a bit.

I would like to know if using cocaine in your kitchen is seen by others as a complete red line, or if this is what happens in student accommodation?

If she's in a party city she will be surrounded by drug use for the course of her degree.
If she reports she'll no doubt have to move as the others will make her life miserable, can she ask to transfer to quiet halls or suchlike?

Quite an eye opener really - I know drugs are all around, and my DD loves going out, have a few drinks but is not into drugs at all.
I’d not think that class A drugs would be used in first year student accommodation but it sounds like it’s quite normal..

Cocaine is more rife in the 30s/40s lifestyle than it is in Unis due to the cost!!

Im not advocating it, but these kids are coming from all walks of life. Sheltered, neglected upbringings, normal (whatever that is). They are not forcing anyone else to take it, its not ideal but if you report it, youll only alienate your DD.

And If in doubt, make sure DD wipes down the kitchen side before use. Its a recreational drug, like weed, she is going to come across it and doesnt have to indulge in it.

Just to reassure you, if she accidentally consumed a tiny spec that had found its way onto a kitchen utensil (itself highly unlikely) then the most that would happen is that she might just notice a slightly numb lip for about 5 minutes. Cocaine isn’t dangerous in that way.

How is she funding the cocaine..?...prices are now quite low and can be bought for around 40 quid a gramme now..I wouldnt like to be around coke users.

I have heard a lot of stories like this OP, particularly about cocaine use. I am quite surprised that some PPs are accepting of this. It is perfectly reasonable to not want to live with others drug taking. I would be concerned about things escalating where it’s attracts others around and becomes a drug centred flat. The behaviours that go hand in hand with this are not ideal. I would be asking for a room change if things don’t change.

That’s awful, I wouldn’t be happy if it were my DD. She should report it, there’s no way to prove it was her.
Are there any hall tutors she could talk to initially?

@SilverGlitterBaubles those of us that are parents or those in their 20/30s that have been to Uni arent saying its ideal. But its reality. We may love to think we've brought up our little cherubs to be sensible, there is a whole world out there that they havent seen. Drugs are not a new phenomenon.

Now I want to hear from the older generation who were smoking weed in the 70/80s/90S..... or even magic mushrooms.

I think I’d be more worried about strangers being allowed in - but even then they were with someone.

If one of the others became a dealer and buyers kept coming round that would be of concern.

I’d be more worried about regular excessive drinking particularly if there were parties open to all in their block/apartment.

I agree the best approach would maybe to have a flat meeting about the drug use and ask for her to keep it to her room. She may settle down after Freshers is over and her course starts?

I would gauge what the others feel about it being done in the kitchen. They need to consider the other housemates in the shared spaces.

If it escalates I’d ask for other accommodation. I wouldn’t report it yet.

She could probably text security or her hall tutor person anonymously and get security to come round and confiscate the drugs and get the girl warned. It might stop it. I wouldn'tve liked it in my day although having randoms in the flat was par for the course. People were always bringing others back. We once got invited into a (student but strange) house while just walking past on the way to Sainsburys-- and we went!

She needs to report it, if there is any fall out on her then the uni will have a duty of care to move her into a new room too so she will be fine.

I would suspect at 18 most of them don’t want a coke head living with them

It sounds like this student has an established habit if she’s taking coke daily, and she sounds vulnerable, could it be reported to uni welfare officer/ support anonymously?

Would transferring to another hall be an option? Living with an addict is no fun, and I would be concerned this girl could have other users/ dealers hanging out at the halls.

Ecstacy and cocane are on a par.

Cocaine is dicing with death. All drugs are now being laced with all sorts of poisons including.
Levamisole: A medication used to treat worms in animals.

Then there is the horse tranquilliser that shrinks the bladder to the size of a walnut. Ketamine.

In terms of bringing strangers back, my I lived with 5 people in halls and we were all single but one and it was literally a rotating door of hookups so I do think people you don’t know being in the halls is pretty standard, I just always kept my room locked.
Tbh I’m not for the cocaine lines in the kitchen and that’s as someone who done plenty in her uni days. I think doing it in a communal area is actually a bit of a piss take, especially when she has her own room. However, I would let it slide this time. I feel the first month or so everyone in halls is stretching things too far with the new freedom but it does settle and if it continues I would report

Thank you all - really insightful to read all your thoughts.
I’ve shared the thread with my DD to show different views on this. She wouldn’t want to move accommodation as she has had a good week and has met people living across the hallway, and on different floors in the same block and is enjoying herself.

Im quite surprised (and saddened) to learn cocaine is so widespread amongst students, and would hope that if one of my daughters was using like my DDs flatmate, someone would report and support would be offered. Parents might not have a clue what’s going on.

I remember there was a bit of hashish around at university in the 70s. I went to a party once and everyone was doing blueys, some sort of amphetamine. I had a couple, but they didn't seem to do anything to me at all.

I would go middle ground, for your daughter to tell them to go do it in their bedroom. I know that isn’t perfect, but at least your daughter can be comfortable using her own kitchen, and it takes away her understandable feeling of unease

I wouldn’t worry about this at all - traces of cocaine is not a worry. I would be more concerned about the girl and I’d encourage my dd to talk to her and make sure she’s ok. That’s it.

I have two at uni. Unfortunately it's extremely widespread. As is spiking.

If your dd gets on with cocaine girl, perhaps she could ask her not to do cocaine in the kitchen and could she do it in her room instead? Your dd could say that the cocaine in the kitchen gives her anxiety.

I would tell your dd to get a pack of disposable gloves and some packs of baby wipes so she can wipe surfaces prior to cooking.

Reporting it does seem to achieve much. They'll offer to move your dd as the cocaine users will likely deny it, say your dd was mistaken etc. And then there will be social problems.

No wonder students are in so much debt.

I’d be very worried about the reckless students bringing back random men when they’re also high on drugs and haven’t a clue what’s going on.

Yes, they need reporting and getting kicked off the course.

Don’t worry, if they’re snorting their student loan up their noses it’ll run out soon.