Tribute to Mike Goodman - former Release director

All of us at Release were very sad to hear of the premature death of Mike Goodman - a major figure in the history of the organisation and the UK drugs field.

Mike, a qualified barrister, joined Release in 1991 and as director he led the organisation for over ten years.  Before coming to Release, Mike was in local government where he was Labour leader of the council in Hammersmith and Fulham. Mike was tireless in his efforts to keep the organisation relevant with the ‘Drugs in Schools’, ‘Dance Safe’, ‘Social Inclusion’ and ‘Heroin Helpline’ projects. He was the public face of Release through the 1990’s appearing on numerous TV programmes promoting harm reduction policies and a sensible and responsible attitude to drugs, drug laws and drug use.

Gary Sutton, Head of Drugs Services at Release fondly recalls, ‘At the one of the Release Drugs University conferences, short of a record deck to play Marianne Faithfull’s version of ‘The ballad of Lucy Jordan’ - Mike dashed off and picked up a couple of buskers at Kings Cross station and hired them to play for the delegates’.

Mike was refreshingly progressive at a time when new ideas were badly needed. He was fiercely opposed to drug testing and his prediction on how it would impact on civil liberties can now be clearly seen.  Mike was innovative and proactive in getting Release involved in the club and rave scene, a move no other drug charities would consider.

All at Release send their sympathy to Mike’s family at this sad time.