A Birmingham university is producing a booklet telling students how to safely take illegal drugs such as cocaine, marijuana and ecstasy.

The Aston University publication will explain what drugs can be taken together without causing dangerous side-effects, as well as giving guidance on how to go about obtaining "properly supplied" substances.

The university said the guide was designed to promote the welfare of its 6,000 students but critics said it appeared to " legitimise" drug abuse.

Dr Matthew Nye, the university's principal physician, said the booklet was in response to a students' poll in which they were asked what kind of drug information they would most benefit from.

"With the majority of students at the moment the information they obtain is from friends," he said.

"So we want to provide more credible information for them and more specific information they want to know.

"What they particularly want to know is information about how drugs interact - for example, can you take ecstasy with marijuana?

"They ask how these drugs will interact with normal medication. For example, if they take the contraceptive pill or antibiotics, can they take cocaine?

"We are going to look to provide information in a booklet."

The pamphlet is currently being researched and Dr Nye added: "There are a lot of young people fed up of being told 'don't take drugs'. We want to give them the real information without exaggerating."

But Birmingham councillor Deirdre Alden (Con Edgbaston), whose ward contains the highest proportion of students in the city, described the move as alarming.

"The danger is students start thinking that official people are telling them that it is all right. I don't like that at all. It is very frightening. It would be better to send out the message that it is wrong.

"Drugs can wreck people's lives and I am sorry to hear they are doing this."

West Midlands Police also expressed concern. A spokeswoman said: "We wouldn't condone anything that encourages or promotes illegal drug taking."

Other universities in the region said it was not their policy to advise students how to take illegal drugs.

However, Action on Addiction, a charity set up to prevent drug, alcohol and nicotine abuse, welcomed Aston's stance.

Its chief executive Lesley King-Lewis, said: "Where people are using illegal substances we would support initiatives that aim to reduce the associated harm.

"We are pleased to see that Aston University is researching the best ways to tackle drug use within the student population, and hope that this leaflet will address drug taking in a serious and responsible way."

She added: "Once the leaflet has been released we would hope that the university would evaluate its impact."

Earlier this year Coventry City Council was criticised for its part in producing a leaflet telling drug users how to avoid the law.

The Safe2Dance handbook, produced by the Coventry Community Safety Partnership - which includes the city council, police and health authority - advocated snorting cocaine from ceramic surfaces to avoid leaving evidence.

All 5,000 leaflets were scrapped, wasting £10,000 of public money, after they were accused of encouraging criminal activity.

By Shahid Naqvi

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