One in seven Cambridge students 'has sold drugs to help pay their way through ... - Daily Mail

By Andrew Levy

Last updated at 2:07 AM on 25th February 2012

One in seven Cambridge students is  dealing drugs to help pay their way through university, according to a survey.

It found many claim that they have been forced to sell illegal substances to friends to make ends meet as they study.

And it revealed nearly two-thirds admitted taking drugs, with cannabis the most  popular substance.

Tight spot: Many claimed they had been forced to sell illegal substances to fund their studies (file picture)

Cocaine was the most frequently used Class A drug, with a quarter of students saying that they had snorted it at some point.

Many claimed the drug – which has halved in price over the past ten years – was more widely used at Cambridge than at any other university they had visited. Alarmingly, 14 per cent of those who have taken banned substances have been admitted to hospital or needed medical attention as a result.

A King's College student, who asked not to be named, said: 'It's hard to juggle a job  and studying at Cambridge, so [dealing] is a quick and easy way for them to make cash to pay for the fees.'

Another undergraduate added: 'The  relative affluence of Cambridge students seems to lend itself to drug taking.'  The survey, by student newspaper Varsity, involved 434 students, mostly undergraduates. A fifth said they had begun to rely on drugs because it helped them manage the stress from heavy workloads.

Worrying: Nearly two-thirds admitted taking drugs, with cannabis the most popular substance

One undergraduate said: 'It is unsurprising in such a high-stress environment that so many students use drugs as a way to relax and completely disconnect from this.'

Another described the devastating effect drugs had had on a friend. 'Another guy  took so many uppers for a sustained period of time that his skin started to shed like a snake,' they said.

A third of Cambridge students also admitted that one or more of their friends had 'serious drug problems', while nearly two in five said they also used prescription drugs for recreational purposes.

The findings are a blow to Cambridge, which last year beat Harvard to become the best university in the world in the QS World University Rankings.

A spokesman for the university, which intends to charge 9,000 tuition fees, said: 'There is no indication of the validity of this survey but clearly the university doesn't condone dealing in illegal substances.

'We would advise students they should avoid taking substances that may seriously affect their ability to complete their course.'

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