Release Legal Emergency & Drugs Service Ltd

Release Legal Emergency & Drugs Service Ltd, commonly known as Release, is a United Kingdom organisation that describes itself as the UK's centre of expertise on drugs and drug laws. It provides legal support, representation and drugs advice to people with a history of drug use or who are otherwise impacted by drug laws, and it campaigns for evidence-based drug policies founded on principles of public health and human rights, seeking to reduce the harms faced by people who use drugs. Release's work combines direct service delivery with research and policy advocacy. Its community legal welfare outreach services provide legal support and representation on issues such as homelessness, housing insecurity, social security and debt to over 1,300 people a year. These services are located in drug treatment centres, homelessness projects and sexual health clinics across 21 locations, supporting vulnerable and marginalised people; a third of the services are located outside London and are intentionally delivered in the 10 most deprived areas in England. The organisation also runs a Drug Advocacy service that advises people accessing drug treatment services, ensuring their voice and needs are centred in their care. The National Helpline responds to over 2,000 queries annually from people seeking advice on matters including criminal law, police complaints, family law, employment issues and harm reduction or treatment advice. Release also operates a Harm Reduction Hub at 395 Cambridge Heath Road, a community drop-in centre offering harm reduction advice and signposting to relevant services across housing, safer sex and other issues. In addition, Release undertakes research analysing the impact of laws and policies on people who use drugs within both the criminal justice and health spheres, and publishes papers highlighting issues such as racial disparities in the policing and prosecution of drug offences. Release publishes a range of public-facing resources, including a Drugs A to Z with in-depth descriptions, pharmacology, history, harm reduction and legal information on over 50 drugs; harm reduction guidance; free, confidential and non-judgmental legal advice about drug laws; and a practical guide for people who sex work. Its policy work is published through policy papers, policy responses and a blog carrying news, analysis and opinion from the Release team. The organisation has also run public health campaigns, including the "Gear Has Changed" campaign, and its "Nice People Take Drugs" campaign products are supplied by Exchange Supplies. Release engages with international drug policy news and maintains an online shop to support its work.

Release Legal Emergency & Drugs Service Ltd, known as Release, is a UK organisation that presents itself as the UK's centre of expertise on drugs and drug laws. Its published materials describe a dual mission: to provide legal support, representation and drugs advice to people with a history of drug use or who are impacted by drug laws, and to campaign for evidence-based drug policies founded on principles of public health and human rights, seeking to reduce the harms faced by people who use drugs. Over time, Release's service model has combined direct legal assistance with outreach embedded in health and social care settings. Its community legal welfare outreach services provide legal support and representation on issues such as homelessness, housing insecurity, social security and debt to over 1,300 people a year. These services operate in drug treatment centres, homelessness projects and sexual health clinics across 21 locations, supporting vulnerable and marginalised people. A third of the services are located outside London and are intentionally delivered in the 10 most deprived areas in England. Alongside this, Release runs a Drug Advocacy service that advises people accessing drug treatment services, ensuring their voice and needs are centred in their care. The organisation's National Helpline responds to over 2,000 queries annually, covering matters such as criminal law, police complaints, family law, employment issues and harm reduction or treatment advice. Release also operates a Harm Reduction Hub at 395 Cambridge Heath Road, described as a community drop-in centre where anyone can get harm reduction advice and signposting to relevant services across housing, safer sex and other issues. Research and policy work form a core part of Release's activity. The organisation analyses the impact of laws and policies on people who use drugs in both the criminal justice and health spheres, and publishes papers highlighting issues such as racial disparities in the policing and prosecution of drug offences. It maintains a public policy library of policy papers and policy responses, and communicates through a blog carrying news, analysis and opinion from the Release team. Release also produces public-facing educational and campaign resources. Its Drugs A to Z offers in-depth descriptions, pharmacology, history, harm reduction and legal information on over 50 drugs. It provides free, confidential and non-judgmental legal advice about drug laws, a practical guide for people who sex work, and harm reduction guidance. Campaign activity has included the "Gear Has Changed" public health campaign, and the organisation's "Nice People Take Drugs" campaign products are supplied by Exchange Supplies. Release maintains an online shop to support its work and follows international drug policy news.

The UK's centre of expertise on drugs and drug laws, combining direct legal and harm reduction services with evidence-based policy advocacy grounded in public health and human rights.

• National Helpline

  Responds to over 2,000 queries annually on criminal law, police complaints, family law, employment and harm reduction/treatment advice.

• Community legal welfare outreach services

  Legal support and representation on homelessness, housing insecurity, social security and debt for over 1,300 people a year across 21 locations.

• Drug Advocacy service

  Advocacy advice for people accessing drug treatment services, centring their voice and needs in their care.

• Harm Reduction Hub

  Community drop-in centre at 395 Cambridge Heath Road offering harm reduction advice and signposting to housing, safer sex and other services.

• Drugs A to Z

  In-depth descriptions, pharmacology, history, harm reduction and legal information on over 50 drugs.

• Policy papers and research

  Published reports on drug policy and related issues, including analysis of racial disparities in policing and prosecution of drug offences.

1. 1Release | Drugs, The Law & Human Rightsrelease.org.uk
2. 2About | Releaserelease.org.uk
3. 3Services | Releaserelease.org.uk
4. 4Support & Promote Release's Campaigns | Releaserelease.org.uk
5. 5Release Legal Emergency & Drugs Service Ltdwikidata.org