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DJ Mag partners with the Global Drug Survey

The survey launches today and we’ll be helping amplify the results relating to clubs and festivals next year

DJ Mag has partnered with the Global Drug Survey (GDS), the world’s largest independent drugs survey, to magnify data relating to the night-time industries. The survey launched in the middle of November, with the results collated in March 2020. These results aim to assist the conversation about creating a safer nightlife across the globe.

We've recently seen increased policy debate across the world about how to best manage nightlife and festival spaces, to balance their cultural and economic value with regulation that effectively reduces the health risks to patrons. This anonymous, confidential survey — now in its eighth year — sees hundreds of thousands of people share their experiences of their own drug and alcohol use. 

Have you had a big night out in the last year? This year, GDS2020 is focusing on ‘your last big session’. “By 'big' we mean a session, event or celebration that is out of the ordinary — where you might have taken a larger than normal amount of alcohol or other drugs (not your normal night out),” said GDS’s Director, Professor Adam Winstock.

The survey only takes about 20 minutes to fill out, and by completing it you will be helping the conversation around service options in nightlife and festival settings. “We use these insights to create credible pragmatic reports and free harm reduction tools, to help the world have honest conversations about drugs,” said Adam Winstock, who is also a consultant psychiatrist and addiction medicine specialist.

“The intersection between music, night-life, drug use and policy is vital to the vibrancy of so many people’s lives. Understanding how the environment people party in and the regulations under which they operate influence pleasure, harm and risk is part of GDS2020. We hope to identify what people value and what helps them keep safe. We’ll help venues identity what matters so they can curate safe, fun places where profit and positive customer experience coincide.”

Take 20 minutes to complete the online survey here.