A survey carried out by Student Counselling indicates liberal attitudes from members of the Student Parliament and the Velferdsting (a student welfare body).

2006-05-10 På norsk

According to the survey, the results of which were presented in a Velferdsting meeting this Monday, 27 per cent of male respondents are in the danger zone for alcoholism. This confirms the trend indicated by the HELT-survey from Student Counselling that men and the youngest students are the biggest binge drinkers.

In addition, 66 per cent of student politicians taking part in this survey responded that they have had unprotected sex under the influence. 50 per cent said they have smoked hashish. Between them, 50 per cent had also smoked hashish the past year.

Leader of the Student Parliament Maria Veie Sandvik is not worried about her fellow politicians' interest in cannabis.

- I think it is a surprisingly good result that only 50 per cent have ever tried hashish. They are adolescents, and you would think they need to explore some boundaries—so it is expected that a large number of them have tried it. As Student Parliament leader, I will neither condemn, nor condone this behaviour. It needs to be up to people’s own judgment.

Leader of theVelferdsting Øyvind Gjengaar takes the survey with a grain of salt:

- This was a survey carried out by Student Counselling in order to reveal mistakes and shortcomings of the survey, and it was fairly inaccurate, he says Gjengaar thinks that somebody might have answered several times, and that the questions have not been taken seriously by the respondents.

June Marie Torgersen • Translated by Egil Ellenes