Header with yellow background- image of a fox tail and text reading "For Fox Sakes: Cunning Choices for Safer Substance Use"

Welcome to university life! Whether you’re out on the town, chilling with friends, or just unwinding after a long day, it’s important to have fun while staying sharp. This guide is here to help you stay cunning like a fox, making smart choices about drinking and cannabis use during your time at university.

Safer Substance Use Tips

Know Your Limits
  • Understand your tolerance with alcohol, cannabis, and other substances to avoid overconsumption or harmful effects.
    • Start with low doses, especially if you're new to a substance. When drinking, pace yourself with one standard drink per hour, and stay hydrated.
Plan Ahead
  • Before you start using any substance, plan how you’ll get home safely. Arrange for a designated driver, use public transportation, or call a ride-share service.
    • Eating a full meal beforehand can help slow the absorption of alcohol and moderate the effects of other substances.
 Stay Hydrated
  • Alcohol and many substances can dehydrate you, so keep water handy and drink it regularly. Staying hydrated helps you maintain control and reduces the risk of harm.
 Look Out for Friends
  • Keep an eye on your friends and stay together. If someone is having a bad reaction to a substance or has had too much to drink, help them get home safely.
  • If a friend shows signs of overdose, alcohol poisoning, or severe distress, seek medical help immediately.
Avoid Mixing Substances
  • Mixing alcohol, cannabis, illicit substances, or prescription drugs can lead to unpredictable and dangerous effects. It's safest to stick to one substance at a time.
Use in a Safe Environment
  • Use substances in a secure and comfortable setting where you feel safe. Avoid using in unfamiliar places or with people you don’t know well.
    • Be aware of your surroundings and ensure you're in a location where you can get help if needed.
Know What You Are Using 
  • Always know what you’re consuming. Pour your own drinks or watch them being made to avoid unintended alcohol consumption or spiking.
    • Purchase cannabis through regulated, legal sources to ensure you’re getting a product that’s safe and accurately labeled.
    • If you choose to use illicit substances, consider having them tested at a harm reduction service to check for dangerous additives or unexpected potency. This can reduce the risk of overdose or adverse reactions.
Know The Rules and Health Risks

Learn more on the Student Health and Wellness substance use page.

Resources and Support

If you or someone you know is struggling with substance use, help is available. Reach out if you need assistance—there’s always someone ready to listen.

For Fox Sakes is a Lakehead campus campaign to educate and empower our students by providing them with the knowledge, resources, and support needed to make informed decisions, reduce the risks associated with substance use, and foster a safer, healthier campus environment for everyone. The campaign is a collaborative effort involving Student Health and Wellness, Residence Life the Office of Human Rights and Equity, Campus Security, LUSU, and Student Conduct, working together to ensure a comprehensive and inclusive approach to harm reduction around substance use at Lakehead.