Drugs & Alcohol

College is a time of many firsts, drugs and alcohol may be some of them. TCDSU is committed to a Harm Reduction approach, which emphasises engaging directly with students who use drugs to prevent overdose and infectious disease transmission and empower students through information.

Support Services

• If you, or anyone around you, experienced negative health outcomes after drug use, contact 999 immediately. You can access healthcare services without criminal prosecution.
• The HSE runs a confidential service both as a freephone Helpline (1800 459 459) and an email support service (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) if you are struggling with substance-dependence. The helpline is available Mon-Fri, from 09:30-17:30.
• As a student you can book an appointment about concerns over your drug or alcohol use at Trinity’s College Health Centre. More information can be found on their website www.tcd.ie/collegehealth. You can book an appointment by calling 01 896 1591 or 01 896 1556.
• Alcoholics Anonymous is a free support for if you are recovering from alcoholism. Their phone number is 01 842 0700 and email is This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. www.alcoholicsanonymous.ie 
• Narcotics Anonymous is a community-based organisation for recovering addicts, www.na-ireland.org or 01 672 8000.

Information About Drugs

• For up to date information about harm reduction of different types of drugs please visit Drugs.ie at www.drugs.ie/drugs_info/campaign/ 

Drug-Testing Kits

TCDSU provides drug-testing kits, specifically EZ Test Kits. 

We do not encourage the use of illicit substances. However, we will provide EZ Test Kits for students, who under their own volition, choose to recreationally participate in the use of drugs. Please follow the instructions included in your testing kit. These are not kits to check if you have used drugs. These kits test for the presence of a drug. Please note that the test kits can give false positives, do not state how strong the substances are, and do not protect the user from the risks of drug-taking. TCDSU does not accept any liability for students who use these kits and decide to use drugs or illicit substances.

If you’d like to enquire about these kits please contact the Welfare & Equality Officer at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Gambling can be considered to be a problem in your life when it gets in the way with work, school or other activities, harms your mental health or physical health, creates financial struggles, or causes problems with your friends and family.

If you are affected by addictive behaviours, the Student Counselling Service runs an Addictive Behaviours support group. Other supports:

Extern Problem Gambling

Harm prevention and support

www.problemgambling.ie 

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

089 241 5401

Gamblers Anonymous

Recovering from Gambling addiction (free) support

www.gamblersanonymous.ie 

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01 872 1133