Substance use tends to be overlooked in nursing training. As a possible consequence, many nurses harbour ill‐informed or even negative attitudes towards drug and alcohol users. The upshot can be poor care. In a bid to tackle this problem, a group of students developed a peer‐led workshop by encouraging open debate on issues associated with illicit drug use and access to healthcare for those with substance misuse problems. What ensued was an open and frank debate that increased awareness and the thirst for more knowledge.