How to party safely within your limits

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Starting a new year at university, especially as a first-year student can be incredibly exciting and stressful for anyone. It is a great time to meet new friends and experience a more independent and autonomous lifestyle. Making your own informed choices can be extremely important, especially in the context of substance abuse. Whether it is having a couple of drinks with a small group of friends or consuming cannabis, it is important to know how to use these substances safely. The following are suggestions to ensure you have a fun and safe time while engaging in activities that may involve alcohol and other substances!
  • Pace yourself and drink water. It is recommended that you eat before you start drinking and have plenty of water or non-alcoholic beverages. Become familiar of what a standard drink size is and your limits.
  • Stick to one substance at a time. While using one substance alone can cause impairment, mixing substances can lead to an increased impairment. You can avoid mixing alcohol with caffeine or if you do plan on using more than one substance, take breaks in between each different substance.
  • Do not share drinks/joints. While social distancing is an important measure to reduce the spread of COVID, it is also important to avoid spreading the virus through a proxy such as a drink or a joint.
  • Plan a safe ride home. Driving or biking home after a night out is definitely not the safest way to get home. Alternatives to this are taking a bus or calling an Uber, Lyft, or Taxi. This is not only for your safety, but other people on the road.
  • Start slow. Everyone metabolizes alcohol and other substances differently. If you are trying something new, start with a small amount and wait 30 minutes or more to feel the effects. For example, smoking/vaping cannabis takes seconds to minutes to feel the effects whereas edibles can take up to 2 hours!
These tips are important for safer substance use. In addition to these, it is important that if you are planning on taking new substances to have someone you trust nearby who has not taken any substances. Being mindful of these tips can help ensure you and your friends stay safe!

Stay safe!

Allyson


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About the author: Allyson is a Master of Public Health student and volunteer administrative assistant at the department of Health Promotion.