Aspire delivers a comprehensive range of high quality services delivered by a Multi-Disciplinary Team which includes social workers, clinical professionals(Doctors/nurses), psychosocial workers and other professionals.

To contact any Aspire services phone: 03000 213900

Please follow the link on details of how to find us and how to refer:

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WHAT WE OFFER

We offer the widest choice possible so you can find something to suit you.

FAQ Events Helpful Tests

DRUG & ALCOHOL CARE TEAM 

The DACT is a multidisciplinary team of Substance Misuse Practitioners and Drug and Alcohol Nurses.  Based primarily within the A&E Department at Doncaster Royal Infirmary, covering 8 am till 8 pm, Monday to Sunday, the team offer support to anyone identified as having problematic drug or alcohol issues.  The team offer an assessment, brief interventions and support to access other services, including to Aspire.

What do we do?

  • Ensure you get the most appropriate services for you. This may not be admission to DRI, and if so, the team can support access to other services.

  • If you have had repeated admissions or attendance at A&E, the team support you to find ways to reduce this.

  • Support the improvement of pathways into community services

Sitting within the Aspire umbrella enables the team to support you to smoothly access the service.

if you are admitted to DRI, the team ensure your transition to Aspire is smooth. We provide information and regular updates to Aspire regarding your circumstances, treatment and discharge planning.  We support the continuation of medication both in DRI and following discharge (via liaison with Aspire).

OUTREACH

The Outreach Team works proactively with people who may find it difficult to engage with traditional treatment services. This includes individuals experiencing homelessness, rough sleeping, social exclusion or complex physical and mental health needs that prevent them from accessing support through usual pathways.

Providing a bridge

  • Their work provides an essential bridge between vulnerable individuals and the wider recovery services available through Aspire.

  • Working in partnership with the new RDaSH Mental Health Outreach Team the bridge also includes access to Mental Health services. For more information click HERE

Meeting you where you are

Rather than expecting individuals to attend appointments, the Outreach Team meets people where they are, building trusting relationships through regular community engagement. Staff provide compassionate, flexible and person centred support that recognises the unique challenges faced by some of the most vulnerable members of the community.

The team offers harm reduction advice, health promotion, overdose prevention, referrals into treatment and practical assistance with accessing healthcare, housing, welfare benefits and other essential services. They work closely with local authorities, homelessness services, healthcare providers and voluntary organisations to ensure individuals receive coordinated support that addresses both immediate needs and longer-term recovery goals.

Reducing barriers to support

By reducing barriers to treatment and engaging individuals who may otherwise remain unsupported, the Outreach Team helps improve health outcomes, reduce risks associated with substance use and promote social inclusion.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE

The team engages with people at various stages of the criminal justice process, including those in police custody, courts, prisons and community supervision. The team also support non-custodial sentencing options too such as Drug Rehabilitation Requirements (DRR) and Alcohol Treatment Requirements (ATR).

The support

Working closely with probation, police, prisons, courts and other partner organisations to ensure coordinated care and continuity of support. This is particularly important for prison releases to ensure people receive support they need on their release.

  Case managers complete comprehensive assessments and agree a tailored support plan with people. This may include practical support, harm reduction advice, motivational support and support to access what Aspire has to offer

 The aim

 The ultimate aim of the Criminal Justice Team is to break the cycle of offending that often develops when substance use becomes the driving factor behind criminal behaviour. By supporting people to address addiction, improve decision-making and access recovery services, the team helps individuals reduce reoffending, improve life opportunities and make positive contributions to their communities.

  To see the information leaflet for DRR’s and ATR’s click HERE

INPATIENT DETOXIFICATION

Based within the Aspire drug and alcohol service, it provides medically managed inpatient detoxification. The service enables people to engage in a group based day programme along side their detoxification which is housed within the same building.

The purpose-built unit offers a safe, supportive and therapeutic environment where people can undergo medicated detoxification while being supported by experienced clinical and healthcare professionals including a Specialist Doctor, Advanced Nurse Practitioner and a full experienced nursing team. The unit is overseen by a dedicated Consultant Psychiatrist.

A bespoke service

Treatment is tailored to each individual, taking account of their physical health, mental wellbeing, substance use, social circumstances and personal recovery goals. Staff provide medical care, nursing support, emotional reassurance and practical guidance throughout the detoxification process.

More than a detox

Safely stopping the use of alcohol or drugs is a big part of the service but, people are encouraged to engage with the day programme where they can begin to understand the causes and consequences of their substance use, develop healthier coping strategies and build confidence for life after discharge. The wider day programme includes psychological interventions, group work, relapse-prevention planning, peer support and links with community recovery networks.

By combining clinical expertise with structured rehabilitation, the service offers people the opportunity to make lasting changes and move towards a safer, healthier and more independent future with renewed hope.

SUPPORTED ACCOMMODATION

In Doncaster, Aspire Drug and Alcohol Service and Riverside work together to help people achieve and maintain stable accommodation.

 Working together

Aspire and Riverside work closely together to ensure treatment and accommodation support is coordinated. Joint support planning ensures that while being supported in accommodation people continue to receive support from Aspire which may include,

  • Recovery coordination.

  • Prescribing services.

  • Psychosocial therapies.

  • Group work.

  • Relapse prevention.

  • Peer mentoring and recovery activities.

Accessing the service

Key workers or assessors will talk to people about their accommodation and will then link them into the accommodation support provision.

What is offered?

Support

  • Safe, supported accommodation.

  • One-to-one support from a key worker.

  • Help to develop independent living skills.

  • Support with benefits, budgeting, education and employment.

 Accommodation

Not everyone’s accommodation circumstances are the same, so within the service there are three types of support

  • Floating support: If your current accommodation is stable but you need support to maintain the tenancy and develop living skills. Support is offered in your current accommodation.

  • Dispersed: If your current circumstances are untenable, there is accommodation sited across Doncaster which can be offered to you.

  • Residential support programme [Garnham House]: If you are abstinent and need support to begin to build a new life in the community, then there is the option of Garnham House. This offers the opportunity to continue building living and social skills.

SUPPORTING YOU INTO WORK

IPS Team

The team is here to help support you to find work that suits you. No matter what your experience with work, the team will help you decide what suits you. Then they will support you to find that job.

How do we do this?

  • Deciding what is the career for you

We do this by talking to you and focusing on your strengths and ambitions. We help you identify what you can do, what you are good at and what you like to do. Then, together we find a rob role that fits.

  • Making it happen

Together we agree a plan. The steps we need to take to make it happen. Each step, each goal you achieve brings you closer to your abmition.

  • Finding your job

We help you conduct a job search and to create a CV so prospective employers see what you can do. We have links to local employers so, we have knowledge of jobs coming up and can talk to employers and support your application.

  • What happens when I get a job?

Our support doesn't stop when you get your job. It continues. We offer in-work support for an unlimited period of time

For more information, get in touch by phone or email : The team are available Monday to Friday, 9-5 

 Rebecca Pulham

T: 07385 552196

E: r.pulham@nhs.net

Jane Simpson

T:  07385 552194

E:  jane.simpson30@nhs.net

NEEDLE EXCHANGE

The aim of the services is to reduce the risk of harm of injecting drug use. This includes reducing the transmission of blood borne viruses such as HIV and Hepatitis.

 The service offers:

  • Sterile injecting equipment

  • Safe disposal of used equipment

  • Advice and information about ways to make injecting less risky

  • Information on alternatives to intravenous drug use

  • Signposting to other services

 The service is available through selected pharmacies displaying the needle exchange logo.

 Aspire specialist Needle Exchange Rosslyn House DN1 2EZ [Tel: 03000 213900] 

The specialist service also offers Naloxone a fast-acting emergency medication which temporarily reverses the effects of an opioid overdose.

 

For further information on exchange locations, please see our leaflet here

OPEN ACCESS

Based at Rosslyn House (37-41 Thorne Road) the Open Access Team is there to make accessing the service as easy as possible. this includes those with problems themselves, carers, family members or professionals.

To make access as easy as possible we also offer access sessions at Mexborough, Bentley and Stainforth

The team are available Mon 9.30am-7pm, Tues 9.30am-5pm, Wed 9.30am-5pm, Thur 9.30am-7pm, Fri 9.30am-5pm

What does the team offer?

  • A friendly Welcome       

  • Rapid access to treatment

  • Access to physical health checks

  • Harm reduction information and advice

  • information of what Aspire offer to help you choose what suits you best

  • Specialist Needle Exchange

For full details please click here

COMMUNITY TEAM

The team is built with multiple disciplines to ensure it is able to offer people a comprehensive recovery plan to support them. This includes mental and physical health nurses, prescribers, social workers and psychosocial specialists.

With a central Hub in the centre of Doncaster at Rosslyn House (37-41 Thorne Road), the team offers support in Mexborough, Bentley and Stainforth to make sure people are able to access support as close to home as possible.

Case management

A dedicated key worker will design and agree an individually tailored recovery plan with each person. The plan utilises everything Aspire has to offer and may include things such as, structured psychosocial interventions, group work, mental health and physical health support and medication. Access to other services such as Housing, domestic violence, support into employment and safeguarding.

We know that things change and the recovery plan will be reviewed with you at regular intervals and changes agreed as people and their circumstances change.

Clinical support

an integral part of the Community Team, the range of specialisms in the clinical team ensures that the recovery plan is able to include support for mental and/or physical health needs. This may include

  • 1:1 key working for people who have complex physical health problems which are unmanaged

  • Blood tests and vaccinations across Aspire

  • Medications to support recovery

  • Community alcohol or drug detoxifications

The team also coordinates and works with healthcare services outside Aspire including

  • Inpatient and community mental health services.

  • Doncaster Royal Infirmary

  • The home treatment team

EARLY ALCOHOL INTERVENTION

The Alcohol Early Intervention and Outreach Team is for people who perhaps wouldn’t normally use our services and who may have a home, supportive family and friends and a job, but are finding that their alcohol consumption has been increasing and is beginning to impact on their life. Some people have long term health problems and don’t understand how alcohol can impact and amplify their condition or create associated health risks and complications.

Information and understanding

The teams approach is about education, rather than formal clinical treatment, giving people information and helping people understand how increased drinking affects the mind and body and ultimately lifestyle choices.

Sensitive to stigma

The team are sensitive to the stigma attached to issues such as this and make provision to ensure this is accounted for. for instance Appointments are,

  • Off the main Aspire sites, for example at GP surgeries or other suitable venues

  • Flexible to work shifts

  • Same day and time each week

  • Late night appointments are available

  • Available virtually or by phone

 The service offers      

  • The course uses Evidence based, guided self-help techniques based on principles of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)

  • 6 sessions initially but can be extended to 12 if required

  • Each appointment is 30 – 60 min long

  • Each session is structured and focusses on a specific subject related to alcohol and how this may have or could impact on the persons life

  • Recovery Support and maintenance tools

ASPIRE4 PARENTS

The Aspire 4 Parents Team provides intensive, flexible support for parents whose substance use is affecting their own wellbeing, family life or ability to care for their children. The service recognises the significant impact that alcohol and non-opiate drug use can have on families and aims to help parents make positive, lasting changes while promoting safer, healthier home environments.

Appointments to suit you

The team offers frequent appointments, including evening sessions and home visits where appropriate, allowing support to fit around family responsibilities.

Trusting relationships

Recovery workers build trusting relationships with parents, providing tailored interventions that address substance use alongside wider issues such as parenting, emotional wellbeing, relationships, housing and financial difficulties.

Working collaboratively

Working collaboratively with children's services, schools, healthcare professionals and other partner agencies, the team ensures that support is coordinated and focused on achieving the best outcomes for both parents and children. Interventions promote positive parenting skills, strengthen family relationships and encourage healthier coping strategies that reduce reliance on alcohol or drugs.

Empowerment and confidence

The Aspire 4 Parents Team empowers parents to build confidence, improve family stability and achieve sustainable recovery. Through compassionate, person-centred support, the service helps families create safer environments where children can thrive and parents can achieve positive, long-term change.

GROUPWORK

Why Groups?

Whatever the theme of a group what they all have in common is the opportunity for the development of social skills. Talking, discussing and sharing. Making friends.

Group sessions encourage peer support, helping participants recognise they are not alone while learning from the experiences of others.

A group work approach works well for some people, but others find it a difficult arena to be in. Aspire offer both one to one support and group support, and for many people a mix of the two. So wherever someone is on their recovery journey there is the option of both.

What sort of groups?

The service provides a safe, supportive and encouraging environment where people can learn new skills, share experiences and develop confidence alongside others with similar goals.

 The team offer a wide range of evidence-based recovery groups covering topics such as

  • Understanding addiction,

  • Relapse prevention,

  • Emotional wellbeing,

  • Coping strategies,

  • Healthy relationships,

  • Confidence building

  • Maintaining long-term recovery.

Mutual support

By encouraging participation, mutual support and ongoing learning, the service plays an important role in helping people achieve lasting improvements in health, wellbeing and quality of life.

STRUCTURED DAY PROGRAMME

The New Beginnings Structured Day Programme in Doncaster is a specialist recovery service that supports individuals who are overcoming drug and alcohol addiction.

Based on a person-centred approach, the programme recognises that recovery is different for everyone. People work closely with the team to agree an individual plan that reflects their personal goals and needs.

It provides a daily structure of groups and activities with a focus on health, personal and social functioning, as well as treatment and recovery goals. Based on Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) it helps people understand the connection between their thoughts, feelings, and behaviours while developing healthier coping strategies.

Safe and supportive

The programme provides a safe, supportive, and structured environment where people can develop the skills and confidence needed to maintain long-term recovery. It forms part of an integrated detoxification and group work service, ensuring that everyone receives personalised care throughout their recovery journey.

The programme offers

  •  Individual sessions

  • Structured group work and participating as a member of a community

  • Social and recovery-oriented activities

  • Encouragement to join mutual aid groups, peer networks and peer support services

  • Family support and involvement where appropriate

In addition to therapeutic support, the Structured Day Programme build coping skills, relapse prevention, education, and opportunities to build confidence and independence. Group work encourages peer support, allowing participants to share experiences, learn from one another, and build positive relationships in a recovery-focused environment. The programme also supports reintegration into the community by promoting education, employment, and independent living.

Empowering people

By combining professional support, evidence-based practice, practical life skills and peer support, the programme empowers people to make positive lifestyle changes, improve their wellbeing, and build a healthier, substance-free future.

VOLUNTEER MENTORS

We value the input of Volunteer Mentors in all our services whether people are in recovery themselves or whether they have no first-hand experience of substance misuse, they add something extra to services.

Peer mentors bring their personal experience of addiction and recovery and those volunteers drawn from the community bring their life experience and their roots and contact within the community.  Both enrich what we can offer people with substance misuse problems and make the first links into the recovery community and the geographical community. 

For many people who enter services the most difficult thing is to believe that recovery is possible for them. 

One of the things that can help is to meet someone who has “been there” and who has made some of those changes, someone who is living proof that recovery is possible.  Offering assistance and encouragement, peer mentors and community connectors play a valuable role in motivating and guiding others in begin to build social skills and contacts. 

Aspire offers an accredited mentor training programme that runs over 12 weeks.

If you are interested and want to know more, click here

Alcohol FAQ

What is Alcohol?

Alcohol is a psychoactive, central nervous system depressant. In everyday language, it refers to ethanol (or ethyl alcohol), the intoxicating ingredient in beer, wine, and spirits. It is produced naturally when yeast ferments the sugars in grains, fruits, or vegetables

  • Alcoholic drinks,

  • Alcohol is a depressant meaning that it slows down body and brain function

What does it look like?

  • Alcohol comes as a liquid as a wide range of drinks such as beer, wine and spirits with different alcoholic strengths, colours, and tastes.

How do people take it?

  • Spirits usually contain a much higher concentration of alcohol than wine or lager and are normally drunk in smaller measures.

  • Ready-to-drink mixers and alcopops may not seem to be strong drinks but they may contain more alcohol than typical bottles or cans of beer or cider.

Effects of Alcohol

  • Impaired Judgement and Reduced Reaction Time.

  • The risk of overdose increases if you mix drugs with alcohol.

  • It can enhance the mood that you are feeling when you drink, good or bad.

Harm Reduction

  • Don’t drink on an empty stomach. Eating prior to consuming alcohol and drinking water in between alcoholic drinks can help prevent blackouts and alcohol poisoning.

  • Have drinks with a lower alcohol content.

  • Taking small sips of a beverage is safer than downing it quickly.

  • Don’t leave your drink unattended, accept drinks off strangers or share drinks.

  • There's no completely safe level of drinking. If you do drink alcohol, then it's recommended to drink no more than 14 units a week, spread across 3 days or more

    A useful unit calculator can be found by clicking here

cocaine faq

What is cocaine?

  • Cocaine is a white powder that is normally snorted or rubbed into the gums.

  • Cocaine is a stimulant meaning that it can increase the heart rate.

What does it look like?

  • There are three types of cocaine: coke, crack and freebase.

    • Coke looks like a fine white powder

    • Crack looks like small lumps or rocks

    • Freebase looks like a crystallised powder

How do people take it?

  • Most people snort cocaine – they crush it into a fine powder, divide it into lines and snort it through the nose.

  • Smoking - Crack or freebase can be smoked through a glass pipe, tube, plastic bottle or in foil.

  • Injecting - Powdered coke and crack can be prepared to make a solution for injecting, which is much more dangerous than snorting or smoking cocaine.

What are its effects?

  • Snorting cocaine can damage your nose, especially if it’s not been chopped very finely.

  • Impaired Judgement and Reduced Reaction Time.

  • The risk of overdose increases if you mix cocaine with other drugs or alcohol.

  • Regular use can make you feel depressed and run down.

  • Cocaine can be detected in a urine test for up to 3 days after snorting it.

Harm Reduction

  • Start with a very small amount and see how you feel. Not all cocaine has the same purity and strength, so it can be hard to judge the dose.

  • Don’t use or share banknotes to snort cocaine. They can be dirty and can spread blood-borne viruses.

  • Cocaine will reduce your need to sleep or eat, which in turn can affect your physical and mental health. Try to eat a healthy diet and get enough sleep: it will make you feel better.

ketamine FAQ

What is Ketamine?

  • Ketamine is sold as a grainy white or light brown powder. Looks like cocaine but is a very different drug.

  • Ketamine is a dissociative drug, which means it causes people to feel separated or detached from their body or physical environment.

What does it look like?

  • A clear liquid, when used in medicine.

  • A grainy white or brown crystalline powder when sold on the street.

  • Tablets, although this is less common.

How do people take it?

  • Most people who take powder ketamine will snort it. Users often talk of taking a ‘bump’, meaning they snort a small amount of ketamine.

  • Bombing - Some people ‘bomb’ it, which is swallowing the powder wrapped in a cigarette paper.

  • Injecting - People who regularly use ketamine sometimes inject it to get a bigger hit. They usually inject ketamine into a muscle.

What are its effects?

  • Ketamine can increase your heart rate and blood pressure. It can make you confused, agitated, delirious and disconnected from reality.

  • When snorted, the effects will start within five to ten minutes with a speedy rush-like feeling, and last between one and two hours. With small amounts, people report feeling dreamy, as if they’re having an out of-body experience.

  • With larger amounts, the effects become stronger and can turn into a full-blown hallucinogenic trip, sometimes known as a K-hole. You might find it difficult to move your arms and legs, patterns may look like they’re moving, colours might shift and change, and you might have a synesthetic experience where you feel like you ‘see’ music.

  • There’s increasing evidence that ketamine can damage the bladder. It can lead to irreversible bladder damage. If you experience an increased need to urinate, find you’re passing blood in your urine (wee, piss), are leaking urine or are in pain when you urinate, consult your GP and let them know you use ketamine.

Harm Reduction

  • Start with a very small amount and see how you feel.

  • Don't mix with other drugs, alcohol or medication.

  • Don’t use or share banknotes to snort ketamine. They can be dirty and can spread blood-borne viruses.

  • Do not use alone, always make people aware of what you are using by writing this down.

Opioids faq

What are Opioids?

Opioids are a class of drugs derived from the opium poppy plant or synthesised in a laboratory. They are commonly used to treat pain but can also be highly addictive.

Common examples of opioids include:

  • Heroin

  • Morphine

  • Nitazenes

  • Prescription Painkillers: Such as oxycodone, hydrocodone, and fentanyl, which are prescribed by doctors to manage pain.

  • Synthetic opioids like fentanyl and nitazenes are often added to heroin, making those who use them more vulnerable to overdose.

What does it look like?

  • Pills and Tablets: Many prescription opioids (e.g., codeine, morphine, oxycodone) appear as legally manufactured tablets or capsules in various shapes, sizes and colours.

  • Powder: Many drugs in this group including Heroin and Nitazene come as a powder. Typically the powders looks like a white, off-white yellowish, or brown powder.

  • Sticky Substance: "Black Tar" heroin looks like dark, sticky gum or hard roofing tar.

  • Liquid/Syrup: Available as cough linctus or solutions for injection.

How do people take it?

  • Opioids can be taken orally, inhaled, or injected.

Effects of Opioids

Opioids bind to opioid receptors in the brain, producing various effects, including:

  • Pain Relief: Effective in reducing pain. You may not know you've hurt yourself until you come down.

  • Euphoria: A sense of well-being or pleasure. You may takes risks you wouldn't usually take

  • Sedation: Feelings of drowsiness or sleepiness.

  • Respiratory Depression: Slowed breathing, which can be life-threatening

  • You may feel hot and itchy or nauseous

Harm Reduction

  • Don't use on your own

  • Start Low, Go Slow: Begin with a small dose and wait to assess its effects before taking more.

  • Avoid Mixing: Do not mix opioids with other depressants, such as alcohol or benzodiazepines.

  • Test Your Drugs: If possible, test your substances to ensure they are what you expect.

  • Carry a Naloxone Kit: Naloxone is a medication that can reverse an opioid overdose and save lives.

Heroin Faq

What is heroin?

Heroin is a drug derived from the opium poppy.

What does it look like?

  • Powder: Heroin typically looks like a white, off-white, or brown powder.

  • Sticky Substance: "Black Tar" heroin looks like dark, sticky gum or hard roofing tar.

  • Heroin can have a vinegary smell but can also be odourless. It normally has a bitter taste.

How do people take it?

  • By smoking it - users heat the heroin on a surface like tin foil and then inhale the smoke – this is sometimes called ‘chasing the dragon’.

  • By injecting it - heroin can be dissolved in water and then injected, this is very dangerous and can lead to overdose.

  • By snorting it - heroin can be snorted.

Effects of heroin

  • Heroin is a very strong drug and the first dose of heroin can cause dizziness and vomiting.

  • People take heroin to feel: happy, relaxed, euphoric and sleepy

When smoked, the effects of heroin usually kick in within a few minutes.

The after effects of smoking heroin can last for several hours, so it’s important to be careful if you are using any other drugs or alcohol in that time.

Harm Reduction

  • Start Low, Go Slow: Begin with a small dose and wait to assess its effects before taking more.

  • Avoid Mixing: do not mix heroin with other downers, including methadone, alcohol or benzodiazepines. 

  • Test Your Drugs: If possible, test your substances to ensure they are what you expect.

  • Carry a Naloxone Kit: Naloxone is a medication that can reverse an opioid overdose and save lives.

Synthetic Cannabinoids (Spice)

What are synthetic cannabinoids?

Commonly known by street names like Spice and K2, synthetic cannabinoids are artificial chemicals that act on the cannabinoid receptors in the brain.  Semi-synthetic cannabinoids are chemicals derived from the cannabis plant but altered so they do not resemble naturally occurring chemicals.

They are completely different chemical compounds to that found in the Cannabis plant and can be vastly stronger, more toxic, and highly unpredictable.

What does it look like

  • In their pure form they are either solids or oils. They might then be added, usually by spraying, to dried herbs or other vegetable matter to make a smoking mixture.

  • The smoking mixtures can be packaged in small, often colourful sachets with labels or in plain plastic bags.

  • Vape liquids that contain synthetic and semi-synthetic cannabinoids are commonly mis-sold as ‘THC liquids.’ The same goes for ‘THC gummies.’

How do people take it

  • Smoking

    Either in a joint mixed with tobacco, or in a pipe or bong without tobacco.

  • Vapes. Commonly mis-sold as THC liquids, have become more widely available.

  • Eaten. They can also be swallowed, eaten with food or made into a drink and may be found in ‘cannabis edibles’, looking like sweets such as gummies, lollipops, and other sweets.

Effects of synthetic cannabinoids

  • The chemical structure of these drug alters frequently so you never truly know what substances or dosages you are consuming.

  • The chemical bonds formed in the brain are much stronger than natural THC, and users frequently experience rapid heart rate, high blood pressure, vomiting, confusion, seizures, and intense panic, paranoia or forgetfulness.

  • However, it is also possible that a user may feel happy and relaxed, may get the giggles, feel hunger pangs and become very talkative. All the things that can characterise natural cannabis. Others mainly feel ill or paranoid.

Harm reduction

  • Start low and go slow, use a tiny amount and wait to feel the effects.

  • Avoid mixing with alcohol, other drugs, or medicines.

  • Use with someone you trust, don't use alone.

Cannabis Faq

What is Cannabis?

  • Cannabis is a plant-based drug. It can be smoked, eaten or vaped.

  •  THC (delta9-etrahydrocannabino) is believed to be the main ingredient that produces the psychoactive effects.

What does it look like?

  • Weed is made from drying out the leaves and flowering parts of the cannabis plant. It can look like dried herbs and is usually brownish green in colour.

  • Solid cannabis, sometimes known as Hash, is made by separating and pressing the resin (trichomes) from the cannabis or hemp plant. It can vary in color from light brown to dark black depending on its origin. It can be hard, crumbly or sticky.

How do people take it?

Smoking

  • Most people mix it with tobacco and roll it into a cannabis cigarette known as a spliff or joint. Some people don’t use tobacco at all and make weed-only spliffs.

  • Using bongs - people do this by mixing the drug with tobacco and putting it in a pipe, lighting it, and then inhaling the smoke through water out of a bong.

  • Cannabis Vapes - Most people use a vaporiser which heats the cannabis, rather than burning it. They can also purchase liquid which contains CBD or THC.

Edibles

  • Cannabis can also be eaten.

  • People do this by mixing cannabis into cakes, tea, yoghurt or sweets. The amount of cannabis in these products can vary greatly and sometimes – especially in sweets – other harmful drugs are added or used instead.

  • It can take up to 20 minutes or more for someone to feel the effects. If someone takes one edible, then they need to wait to feel the effects before they take some more or else, they are at risk of double dosing.

What are its effects?

  • Impaired Judgement and Reduced Reaction Time.

  • The brain is still developing until 25 and therefore cannabis use can have an impact on the development of the brain.

  • THC can supress the immune system, leading to a higher chance of illness.

  • The longer you take cannabis for, the more tolerant you may become. This means people will need more of the substance to feel the same effects.

Harm reduction

  • Avoid using with other drugs, this can put you at a much higher risk of an overdose.

  •  Use a glass bong instead of a plastic bong. Plastic contains toxins which aren’t safe to inhale.

  •  If you are not in a good mental state, using drugs can make it feel worse, so it might be best to avoid it when feeling like this.

Crack Cocaine Faq

what is Crack Cocaine?

  • Known as Crack, Stones or Rock, crack cocaine is a powerful stimulant made from powdered cocaine.  

  •  Removing the hydrochloride component from powdered cocaine creates a cocaine base which, unlike powdered cocaine can be smoked.

What does it look like?

Crack looks like small yellow or white crystals

How do People Take It?

Although it can be taken in different ways, by far the most common way is to smoke it. the ‘rock’ is heated and the resulting vapours are inhaled, usually through a purpose made or improvised glass pipe.

What are its effects?

Smoking crack has a rapid effect coming on between seconds to a couple of minutes.

 The high lasts a much shorter time (10 to 15 minutes) than powdered cocaine (30 minutes) so there is often a strong desire to take more.

 Crack can temporarily make users feel

  • Confident, Alert, Wide awake, Excited, Chatty

  • Sick or nauseous, Paranoid or restless, Aggressive,

It can also:

  • Increase or cause irregular heart rate and breathing

  • Increase your body temperature

  • Cause numbness in the parts of the body where it’s taken (nose, injection sites etc)

  • Mask an injury, due to its numbing effect

  • Can cause poor mental health, paranoia and depression

Harm Reduction

  • Avoid mixing drugs as interactions can be unpredictable and dangerous.

  • It is always best not to use drugs alone but with people you trust, who have knowledge of first aid and who will seek medical help for you if necessary.

Benzodiazepines Faq

What are Benzodiazepines

  • Benzodiazepines are prescription drugs that can be used to treat anxiety. ‘Street benzos’ are illicit drugs that are similar but can be far more dangerous.

  • Benzodiazepines can be prescribed medicines, which may have been transferred away from the person who was prescribed them, or illicit or fake products.

What does it look like

  • They come as tablets, capsules or injections; and come in a wide variety of colours.

  • Commonly available street benzos include alprazolam (Xanax), flunitrazepam (Rohypnol), diazepam (Valium), temazepam and phenazepam.

  • They often come in blister packs, which can make them look legitimate and safe but they are not.

How do people take it

  • Benzodiazepines come as tablets, capsules or suppositories (tablets inserted up the bum).

  • Some people crush tablets to inject them. This is extremely dangerous and can lead to skin infections and abscesses and rapid, potentially fatal, overdose.

Effects of benzodiazepines

  • They depress the nervous system and slow the brain and body down.

  • Often used as chill-out drugs after parties, to help people sleep after taking stimulants. Some people use them to help come down off acid, cocaine, speed or ecstasy after a big night out.

  • Can negatively affect your mental health and may increase the risk of suicidal thoughts particularly in young adults and those who are alcohol or opioid dependent.

Harm Reduction

Street benzos are unpredictable in content and in potency and are causing people to be hospitalised in the UK,

Make sure:

  • Someone is around when you take them (if you overdose alone nobody can help you)

  • Be extra cautious about the sources from which you get your drugs, and about the drugs you take

  • Try a small amount (half a pill) of it first and wait at least an hour to see what the effect is before considering taking any more

Steroids Faq

What are anabolic steroids?

  • Anabolic-androgenic steroids (AAS) are synthetic versions of testosterone, the main male sex hormone.

  • They are prescribed medically for some conditions but are more commonly used by people who attend gyms to increase muscle size, strength and change general physical appearance.

What do they look like?

  • Anabolic steroids are available in several forms. Injectable steroids are commonly supplied in small glass vials or ampoules containing an oily liquid.

  • Oral steroids are usually tablets or capsules but can come with more side effects. Some products are sold as gels or creams, although these are used more in testosterone replacement therapy.

How do people take them?

  • People may inject steroids into specific muscles which are usually the thighs, glutes (bum) or shoulders, or take them orally as tablets.

  • Users often take steroids in "cycles" lasting 6-12 weeks and sometimes combine multiple steroids together (which is called stacking, which we strongly discourage) or increasing and decreasing doses during a cycle (pyramiding).

What are the effects and side effects?

  • Desired effects include increased muscle mass, strength, faster recovery from exercise, and reduced body fat.

  •  Side effects can include acne, hair loss, mood changes, aggression, high blood pressure, infertility, testicular shrinkage, breast development in men, liver damage, and increased risk of heart attack or stroke.  Users can also end up with low testosterone production for months or years after finishing a cycle.

Harm reduction

  • Use sterile injecting equipment and never share needles or syringes. Avoid obtaining products from unknown sources due to contamination and counterfeit risks.

  • Only use one steroid in a cycle, and ensure that the off-cycle is as long as the time spent on cycle. 

  • Resist the temptation to increase dose as this increases side effects risks. 

  • Regular blood pressure checks and blood tests are useful, and please seek medical advice quickly if severe side effects occur.

    For more information see The JUICE BAR page HERE

Naloxone Faq

What is Naloxone?

  • Naloxone is a drug that can reverse the effects of opioids, such as heroin, methadone, opium, codeine, morphine and buprenorphine, as well as any non-opiate drug than has been contaminated with opioids. A naloxone dose can save someone’s life if it's used quickly after they’ve overdosed and before emergency help arrives.  

  • The effects of naloxone don’t last very long, so it’s important to always call 999 and ask for emergency help when you use it.

  • If you don't know exactly what someone has taken, you can still give them naloxone - it won't do any harm if they haven't used opioids.

How to use naloxone

If someone has had an opioid overdose, naloxone will only reverse the effects for a while.

Always dial 999 and ask for an ambulance straight away after giving someone naloxone. Stay with the person until the ambulance arrive as the person can go back into overdose.

Naloxone kits come in two types. They have the same effects but you use them differently: 

  • Prenoxad, which comes as a pre-filled syringe. You inject this type of naloxone into a person’s thigh, through their clothes if you need to. 

  • Nyxoid, which comes as a nasal spray. You spray this type of naloxone into a person’s nostril.  

The signs and symptoms of an opioid overdose are:

  • Pinpoint pupils (indicates opioid use)

  • Loss of consciousness (i.e. the suspected overdose casualty cannot be woken)

  • Respiratory depression/breathing slows or stops

  • Extremely pale face that may feel clammy to the touch

  • Bluish purple tinge to lips or fingernails

  • No response to noise/cannot be awakened

  • Unable to speak

  • Vomiting or making gurgling noises

I have naloxone but it has expired, what should I do?

  • Contact Aspire to get a new kit!

  • However, if you respond to an overdose and it is the only thing you have, use it. Like most other medication, naloxone will start to lose its effectiveness after its expiration date. However, it may be strong enough to reverse an overdose if that is the only kit that is available.

chemsex Faq

What is chemsex?

Chemsex is the use of drugs to facilitate, enhance, or prolong sexual experiences. Also known as "party and play".

There are three specific drugs usually involved:

  • Methamphetamine is a stimulant. It's also known as crystal meth, crystal, meth, tina and crank.

  • Mephedrone is a stimulant too. It is known as meph, drone or meow meow.

  • GHB and GBL are sedatives. Their full names are gammahydroxybutyrate and gammabutyrolactone and they're also known as G, gina, geebs and liquid ecstasy.

Other common substances associated with chemsex include cocaine, ecstasy, ketamine, viagra, poppers and alcohol.

What are its effects?

The impact of chemsex can be different for different people.

People take part in chemsex for different reasons.

  • Some people take part in chemsex to feel less inhibited and to enhance pleasure.

  • Other reasons for taking part in chemsex are associated with feelings of stigma and issues around self-esteem. 

The effects of chemsex can be wide ranging and include

  • Can contribute to anxiety and depression. 

  • Drugs like crystal meth and mephedrone are often injected and injecting brings an increased risk of infections and blood borne viruses like HIV, hepatitis C and hepatitis B.

  • There is also a risk of becoming dependent on chemsex drugs. If you have a dependency and you stop taking drugs, you’ll experience unpleasant withdrawal symptoms.

What do the drugs look like?

  • Crystal meth most often looks like shiny, glass‑like rocks or fragments that are white, clear, or sometimes slightly bluish—earning nicknames like “ice” or “glass.”

  • Methamphetamine can also appear as a fine powder or pressed into pill form, with colours varying based on purity and additives.

  • Mephedrone: white, off-white, or yellowish powder, and it can also appear as small crystals, crushed granules, capsules, or pills

  • GBH most commonly a clear, colourless, and odourless liquid that looks just like water. It can also appear as a bright blue liquid (known as "blue nitro"), a white or pale crystal powder, or capsules. Liquid GHB has a slightly salty or soapy taste

  • GBL (gamma-butyrolactone) is a clear, colourless, and thin liquid. It looks almost identical to water, but it has a slightly thicker, more oily texture and a strong chemical or solvent smell similar to paint stripper or nail polish remover

Harm reduction

  • Consent is important for both you and your sexual partner(s). The foundation of consent is that it is given enthusiastically and willingly, with the explicit understanding that you don’t have to do anything that you don’t want to do. Consent can only be given if you are able to do so.

  • Use condoms and lube to protect yourself from HIV and STIs. Bring different sizes and have extra condoms if you plan to have sex with multiple people.    

  • Be clear about your limits and what you are OK with. If things are happening you're not OK with, say so or leave. Have a taxi number on your phone.

  • Consider setting an alert on your phone to give you times during the session where you can step back and check you are still OK with how things are going.

Helpful tests

ALCOHOL SCREEN TEST

Alcohol Test

DRUGS SCREEN TEST

Drug Test

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