Release staff regularly provide comment to the media on a range of drugs issues. Particular areas of expertise include, but are not limited to:
- UK drug policy
- Drug laws in the UK
- Drug prevalence rates
- Changing patterns in drug use
- Policy proposals that impact on people who use drugs, for example, benefit reforms or anti-social behaviour legislation
- Supply side issues including trafficking of drugs and cultivation of cannabis
- Drug treatment and harm reduction
Media Enquiries
Contact Niamh Eastwood email niamh@release.org.uk telephone 020 7324 2980
or André Gomes email andre@release.org.uk telephone 020 7324 2996
Recent press releases issued by the organisation can be accessed here:
Press Release: Charities and activists support the Scottish Government’s calls for the UK government to reform the drug laws or give them the power to implement reforms
Press Release: Drug law charity condemn Government’s decision to ignore evidence and advice of their own experts as it moves to criminalise nitrous oxide
Open letter to Home Office from 500 public health and criminal justice experts calling for a rethink of Drug Possession Proposals
Press Release: Drug-related deaths are once again the highest since records began, the Home Office must urgently reform UK drug policy to save lives
Press Release: Launch of “Regulating Right, Repairing Wrongs: Exploring Equity and Social Justice Initiatives within UK Cannabis Reform” report
Press Release: Number of drug-related deaths rises to highest on record, the UK Government must declare a public health emergency - Deaths relating to opiates, MDMA & cocaine are highest on record
Press Release: Local authorities and prisons failing to reduce opioid deaths - Many of England’s local authorities are failing to provide enough of a lifesaving overdose reversal medication to people who need it
Press Release: Drug-related deaths in England & Wales reach highest figure on record - Government policy directly contributing to public health crisis
Press Release - New App Launched to Help People Arrested for Drug Possession Offences
Press Release - West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner Calls for Harm Reduction
Press Release - England’s local authorities failing to act as opioid deaths soar. local authorities are failing to provide a safe and cheap overdose reversal medication to those who need it
Press Release - Number of drug-related deaths in England and Wales rises to highest on record, Government must declare public health emergency
Press Release - ACMD report highlights role of government failings in rising drug deaths
Press Release - 2015 sees highest number of drug misuse deaths on record in England and Wales, underscoring failings of government drug policy
Press Release - Increasing number of countries decriminalising drug use ahead of UN debate on global drug policy
Press Release - NGOs call on Home Office to push through reforms on strip search and traffic stops
Press Release - Over 80 high-profile individuals and organisations call on the PM to Reform UK Drug Policy
Press Release – MET Police stop and search nearly 17,000 children under the age of 15 for drugs
Press Release: Release & LSE to launch new report on racial disparity & the policing and prosecution of drug offences (21 August 2013)
Press Release: Sentencing Council Guidelines for Drug Offences see reduced sentences for 'drug mules' (24 January 2011)
Press Release: Celebrities campaign for review of drug laws
Print and online media
Release staff are frequently interviewed by national newspapers and broadcast media. Some recent examples of this work are:
Decriminalise drug possession, campaigners tell David Cameron - Comments from Niamh Eastwood
More than 90 celebrities, politicians, lawyers and health experts have written to the prime minister in an urgent call for a review of the government's policy on illegal drugs - great coverage from the Support. Don't Punish Day of Action
Black people twice as likely to be charged with drugs possession – report
Drug Policy: Release supports Richard Branson’s call for decriminalisation of drug possession
Drug Policy: Release report - decriminalisation does not lead to increased drug use
Drug Policy: Release calls into the question the effectiveness of the Government’s drug policy
Comment: Channel 4’s Drugs Live encourages a nationwide debate on drug use
Drug Laws: The rise of legal highs, what should be done?
Drug treatment: Release comments on Government decision to allow foil to be distributed to people who use drugs
Drug treatment: Release criticises Government’s focus on ‘recovery’ at the expense of harm reduction
Drug trends: Results of the Global Drug Survey and the rise of internet drug dealing
Welfare reform: Release says capping of benefits of those struggling with addiction is counter-productive
Radio
Release Executive Director on Radio 4’s Today programme talking about the Home Affairs Select Committee’s Report on Drugs
Television
Should laws on drugs be relaxed? Debate from Executive Directer, Niamh Eastwood
Drugs: Black and Asian disproportionately targeted - Head of Legal Services, Kirstie Douse reports
