Night of Action highlights dangers of mixing alcohol with drug use to launch ASB Week

On Friday 15 November, officers from the District Council’s Public Protection team worked with Police colleagues in Newark town centre, speaking to visitors, handing out leaflets, and putting up informational posters in local licensed properties during the evening.

The main aim of the Night of Action was to educate residents and visitors to Newark Town centre of the dangers of mixing cocaine and alcohol. Drug use is dangerous, however when combined with alcohol the risk of sudden death is 20 times more likely than when using cocaine alone.

This potentially lethal combination can have other dangerous effects, including:

• An increase in violent and impulsive behaviours
• An increased chance of seizures, heart attacks, and strokes
• Liver damage

Officers also visited various pubs and bars in the town to undertake licensing checks to ensure businesses were operating in the appropriate way.

Councillor Paul Taylor, Portfolio Holder for Public Protection and Community Relations at Newark and Sherwood District Council explains, “Nights of Action allow us to contact people in our community who may not see our other ways of messaging. The nighttime economy is so important in our District, but equally, those who enjoy a good night out are potentially most at risk.

“We want everyone to enjoy our towns safely, but there are dangers out there we need to make people aware of. Many people simply don’t realise that when they mix cocaine with alcohol for example, our own bodies produce Cocaethylene. It’s a dangerous chemical which changes people’s behaviour and can cause lasting physical damage or even sudden death!

“Anything we can do as a District Council to raise awareness of this issue and potentially save lives is essential. We’re also running several programmes next week for ASB Awareness Week as our teams will be out and about speaking to our residents about the harm ASB can do to our communities”

Councillor Jean Hall, Chair of Licensing Committee at Newark and Sherwood District Council picks up this theme, “Clearly, we don’t want people to stop having a good time, but, let’s be clear, the effects of mixing drugs and alcohol on a night out can be devastating. And they can be life-changing, not just for the person taking them but for their friends, family and even by-standers.

“I am really heartened by how well our message has been received. I’d like to thank everyone involved in this initiative including the many licensed pubs and bars we visited who were extremely welcoming.”

Inspector Charlotte Ellam, District Commander for Newark and Sherwood, said: “Mixing drink and drugs causes nothing but trouble for communities, usually in the form of antisocial behaviour and on occasion street violence too, which clearly we don’t want to see in Newark and Sherwood.

“This long-term operation, completed in partnership with Newark and Sherwood District Council, is all about awareness – we want people to say that they have heard of cocaethylene.

“It is an unfortunate reality that reasonably healthy people are experiencing health complications or become involved with aggressive and violent behaviour as a result of combining alcohol and cocaine.

“We can prevent this, and protect partners who can be subjected to abuse, by raising awareness and ultimately reducing the prevalence of cocaethylene through nights of action like this one.”

As part of ASB Week, Newark and Sherwood District Council officers will be out in communities raising awareness of the dangers of ASB. This includes going into schools to talk to students, holding a market stall in Newark Town Centre on Wednesday 20 November between 10am until 12noon and sharing victim stories on social media. To keep up to date with all the activity taking place during ASB week, follow the District Council’s Facebook page.