These Students Want to Know What Drugs You Use

A group of University of Groningen students investigate young people’s drug use in Groningen. You can help them by filling out their survey.

Thijs van Eijndhoven, a third-year History student and member of the team conducting the study, has been living in Groningen for over four years. He says he has witnessed more street violence in the past two years. ‘I live close to Poelestraat, where nightlife thrives. I see violence, I see fights. There have even been shootings. Do students realise there might be a link between the drugs they take and the violence they see?’ Thijs wonders.

City officials gather data on drug dealing in Groningen, but they have little insight into public perceptions of drug use and its broader consequences. This is what the students are trying to uncover through their survey.

Completely normal

Sil Hardeman, another third-year History student in the team, has noticed a shift in attitudes towards drug use among his peers. ‘People talk about taking drugs like it’s completely normal. Usually, they start with cannabis and then experiment with hard drugs, such as MDMA and cocaine.’ While he avoids drugs himself, he acknowledges the growing normalisation of drug use within student circles.

The team emphasises that the purpose of their study isn’t to point fingers at drug users or discuss health risks. Instead, they want to find out if students are aware of how drug use impacts public order and safety, including nightlife. ‘It’s difficult to prove that a rise in violent incidents is directly linked to drug use,’ Thijs explains. ‘But this isn’t what we’re trying to do. Our goal is to capture a broad picture of how students and young people perceive and experience drug use across different groups.’ Understanding these perspectives could help city officials tackle challenges related to drug normalisation and its implications for public safety.

To select the drugs for their survey, the team relied on the latest sewer water analysis conducted by KWR, a Dutch research institute specialising in water-related studies. In March 2024, KWR collected samples from Groningen’s sewer system. After analysing them, researchers determined the types and quantities of drugs being used. From this data, the students identified seven key substances for their survey: cannabis, cocaine, MDMA, amphetamines, MMC, ketamine, and nitrous oxide (often called laughing gas).

Sensitive topic

Thijs and Sil understand that the survey touches on a sensitive topic and that some students might hesitate to complete the questionnaire. ‘We’re not looking for personal stories to publish, and we’re not judging anyone. We’re fortunate to live in a free and liberal country where we can openly discuss drug use and its consequences. And we think it’s very important to have these conversations.’

The findings of their survey could help shape policies to make Groningen safer for everyone. ‘Students are a part of nightlife, and they probably see drug use within their friend groups. This is more than just a university survey. We hope people will participate—not for us, but for the community.’

Help Thijs and Sil by filling out the questionnaire!

Photo: Andreea Luta (c)