and one of the next steps is to publish a paper on decriminalisation, looking at
jurisdictions and states across the world and their experience of
decriminalisation. We want to promote evidence that shows that the model of
enforcement you have has very little impact on levels of drug use within a
society, and therefore why pursue a harsh law enforcement approach that
causes significant damage to those caught up in it, as well as being expensive to
the state?’
Just how expensive it is in the UK – and Release estimates it as anything up to
£5bn – is something the charity will try to establish with a forthcoming economic
analysis, and it will also be carrying out research on disproportionate policing and
prosecution of drugs offences.
‘The evidence is that it’s not all of society that’s affected by drug laws,’ she
says. ‘It tends to be young black men and young people living in areas of
deprivation, so we’re doing a freedom of information request to the police to
build on the evidence that there is a disproportionate impact on these groups.
What’s happening is we’re punishing people who are already living in difficult
circumstances, and that’s not a just approach within a society.’
Another aim is to extend beyond London, she says, and establish offices in the
north and Scotland. ‘We get a high volume of calls from those areas and we see a
real need for services to be delivered there.’
This will mean expanding the current, highly committed ten-strong workforce.
‘Release is the sum of all of its parts, and that’s very much the result of the
dedication of the staff,’ she says. ‘We’ve got an amazing team.’
www.release.org.uk
You can follow Niamh on Twitter: @niamhrelease
February 2012 |
drinkanddrugsnews
| 19
www.drinkanddrugsnews.com
Profile |
Niamh Eastwood
discussing policy – we’re not seeing any practice implementation, but at least some
politicians, and a larger proportion of the media, are addressing the issue.’
From a campaigning point of view, decriminalisation is ‘very much the policy
reform that we see as attainable within a short period of time,’ she says. ‘For
politicians, it’s much easier for them to advocate for policies that still make the
supply of drugs illegal but the possession and use not illegal, or dealt with through
a civil system. But as the next step we will be doing more research around models
of regulation, and promoting the government to experiment with regulation of
certain drugs.’
One of the organisation’s main policy concerns at the moment, however, is the
ongoing programme of welfare reform, and the effect it will have on the people
Release is there to help. ‘In terms our legal services, the vast majority of our clients
are in receipt of benefits and there are a number of things they’re concerned about.
Housing benefit reforms are going to particularly impact on those who live in London
and are dependent on private rented accommodation, and it really can’t be
overstated how much damage these reforms can cause to individuals.’
Many are at risk of being uprooted and separated from all of their support
networks, she stresses. ‘You’re talking about people who’ve lived in the same areas
since they were born – 20, 30, 40 years living where their families are, their
doctors, their drug treatment services. To wrench them out of those communities
could mean significant damage to their health, and we are likely to see an increase
in problematic drug use as a result.’
The lack of detail is also a source of real concern, she says. ‘You’re seeing a piece
of primary legislation being processed through Parliament and yet we’re still not
quite sure how it’s going to impact on vulnerable people – that’s what’s really
worrying. Until we see the final regulations we won’t know how much damage it
will cause.’
All of this anxiety means more calls to the Release helpline, one of the charity’s
most crucial – and widely admired – services. The Home Office stopped its funding
for the helpline in 2005, despite the fact that many callers to the government’s
£5m-a-year Talk to Frank line end up being referred to Release anyway (
DDN
,
February 2011, page 8). Soon after came the recession, and the consequent drop in
private and corporate donations, and things were starting to look shaky for a while.
Are finances on more of a sure footing now?
‘In all the years I’ve been here, it’s certainly been a rollercoaster in terms of
funding,’ she laughs. ‘But I’m pleased to say that for the next year there’s
sustainable funding, and we’ve got plans to make sure that the services and
campaigning work can continue. One of the things we’re going to look at this year
is how we can maybe be a bit more innovative in the way we man the helplines.’
This will include looking at recruiting volunteers – drug workers or lawyers in
the field – to help out, so that the service can be expanded, she says. ‘At the
moment it just runs during the day, so it would be good to have a couple of
evenings a week where people could get expert legal advice or drugs advice.’
So what will be her other priorities as executive director? ‘The core of Release is
the services we deliver,’ she says. ‘Currently we have ten legal surgeries operating
in the London area, seeing about 2,000 people a year. We’ve had funding from the
Lloyds TSB Foundation to run some more pilot services so that will expand the
programme over the next 12 months and that’s really exciting. We hope to be
operating in three or four new boroughs within the next 12-18 months.’
And it’s the experience of delivering those services that convinces Release that
it needs to continue to campaign for legal reform, she says. ‘We’re going to
continue our ‘Drugs – it’s time for better laws’ campaign (
DDN
, June 2011, page 4)
‘We want to promote evidence
that shows that the model of
enforcement you have has
very little impact on levels of
drug use within a society, and
therefore why pursue a harsh
law enforcement approach
that causes significant
damage to those caught up
in it, as well as being
expensive to the state?’