Clubs against Drugs

The intervention incorporates strategies for changing the availability of and opportunities to use drugs at nightclubs, including changes in the physical environment, policy work, staff training, enforcement, media advocacy and policy work. At the project start, STAD appointed a local coordinator to be in charge of the intervention. Important gatekeepers and authorities in the community were mobilized and representatives from a number of stakeholders formed an action group. The Licensing Board, the Police Authority, the County Council, the National Institute of Public Health, the County Administration, the organization for restaurant owners, the union for restaurant staff, leading nightclub owners and the local coordinator from STAD have met regularly six times a year.

Owners of nightclubs included in this intervention have formally created the association Clubs against Drugs, through which they have become actively and publicly engaged in efforts to reduce drug use at nightclubs. The owners participate in different working groups and meet on a regular basis. All members have signed a declaration including a commitment to engaging in drug prevention work at nightclubs.

The program involves targeted training: a one-day policy training for nightclub owners, a one-day drug training for serving staff, a two-hour policy training for management staff and a two-day drug training program for doormen. The drug training for doormen covers the medical effects of drug use, how to recognize drug- impaired guests, how to intervene appropriately, alcohol and drug laws, laws and regulations for licensed doormen and conflict management. The topics covered are discussed in groups and practiced through role-playing. In order to pass the course and receive a diploma, a doorman must score 70% or above on a written exam.

Owners of participating nightclubs and authorities have jointly developed Clubs against Drugs policies. These written policy documents state, among other things, that drug-impaired guests should be stopped at the entrance to nightclubs, which is in accordance with existing Swedish laws. Guests taking drugs at nightclubs will be asked to leave the premises and the police will be contacted. The owners of the nightclubs have signed these policy documents. The implementation of guest and staff drug policies has begun. The staff should receive written drug policy information and training from management, after which the staff should sign the policy statement.

During the planning phase of this intervention, the Police Authority created a specialized group, the Club Commission, to target drug-related crimes at nightclubs. As a result, monitoring and sanctioning of nightclubs have increased. The Club Commission has also taken an active role in the intervention, participating in meetings, lecturing at training sessions and inviting doormen to regular meetings.

A number of media activities have been conducted in order to mobilize important target groups, increase peoples awareness of the problem and obtain community support for the intervention. The project was announced on both national and local TV news, radio and newspapers. PR campaigns have been conducted. The PR work consisted of press conferences, advertisements in news media, activities at clubs and the introduction of the association Clubs against Drugs web page.