Partnership working vital in raising awareness about the dangers of Cocoathylene

As part of the Operation Cognition, Newark and Sherwood District Council and Nottinghamshire Police attended several Nights of Action in Newark town centre. Officers worked together to speak to residents and visitors to the town, handed out leaflets, put up informational posters in local licensed properties, and conducted licensing checks during the evening. Three Nights of Action have taken place, including in December 2022, March 2023, and November 2024.

As part of the Night of Action in December 2022, District Council colleagues and Nottinghamshire Police officers conducted a questionnaire, which saw 90% of respondents admitting a lack of knowledge surrounding the increased dangers of cocaethylene. Safety devices were also provided to residents, including personal alarms and anti-spiking products.

The partnership between Newark and Sherwood District Council and Nottinghamshire Police has meant that messaging on cocaethylene has remained consistent, thorough, and robust. This ensures that it reaches as many people as possible and the information is clear therefore, saving lives.

When cocaine and alcohol are mixed together, our bodies produce cocaethylene, which is a dangerous chemical. It can change people’s behaviour, increase the chances of seizures, heart attacks, and strokes, and can cause lasting damage or even sudden death.

Councillor Paul Taylor, Portfolio Holder for Public Protection and Community Relations at Newark and Sherwood District Council, said: “Operation Cognition has been vital in ensuring our residents know the dangers surrounding cocaethylene. By working in partnership with Nottinghamshire Police, it has meant we’ve been able to target specific areas and communities who may not see our other ways of messaging. At the end of the day, the potential side effects of mixing drugs and alcohol can be fatal, and therefore Operation Cognition is no doubt saving lives and making sure our residents are fully informed before they make decisions.

“Of course, everyone should be able to enjoy a good night out, but it must be done safely. Many people simply don’t realise that when they mix cocaine and alcohol, our own bodies produce cocaethylene. It’s a dangerous chemical which changes people’s behaviour and can cause lasting physical damage or even sudden death!

“Anything we can do as a District Council to raise awareness of this issue and potentially save lives is essential. Nottinghamshire Police’s help through Operation Cognition has played a vital role in this.”

Inspector Charlotte Ellam, District Commander for Newark and Sherwood, said: “Working together with our partners on these nights of action is so important in highlighting the dangers of taking alcohol and cocaine together to the people we engage with.

“Mixing cocaine and alcohol together produces a chemical in the body known as Cocaethylene. This can cause behaviours that may be out of character or exacerbated, such as violence and aggression, as well as posing serious risks to the health of the user.

“Our officers have been out in the Newark night-time economy to raise awareness about this issue and to help change people’s mindsets before mixing these substances, either on a night out or anywhere else.

"We hope that having an understanding of the potential effects will enable people to safeguard themselves from being at risk either as a user, or a loved one who may be directly affected by these reactions.

“Education is a key part of this, so we were pleased to be able to provide these nights of action, with the support of our partners, to raise conversations and awareness about this important topic.

“We look forward to continuing with our patrols in the coming months, and in doing so help to spread awareness about the risks that come with drug taking.”