When Law Enforcement Stood For Drug Law Reform

February 29th was LEAP Day – this rare occurrence provided us with the opportunity to do something different. What could be more different than a collection of police, military, magistrates, MPs, public figures and supporters joining together and taking a stand for drug law reform?

LEAP UK officially launched in the House of Commons. We were privileged to have a room full of engaged participants. We’ve gathered together a collection of media from the day. Here’s what people had to say about us and the subject of drug policy reform:

Sir Richard Branson welcomed LEAP UK and stood with us for reform

• The day started with our own release in collaboration with Virgin Unite:

Launching LEAP UK in the Houses of Parliament on Leap Day

• The Guardian‘s Damien Gayle gave us a comprehensive breakdown of the event in a piece headlined:

Campaign group led by police officials calls for rethink on war on drugs

• Sally Hayden wrote in Vice:

Soldiers, Spies, and Police Officers Launch Campaign to Legalize Drugs in the UK

• On The Influence, we were really rather taken with this piece from Sebastian Michael, saying:

“The statements come like the phrases in a Bach fugue: They are based around a theme, they pick up on each other’s line and modulate it, give it a new nuance, allow for another iteration to create another resonance that counterpoints in harmony what has been expressed before. Together, when it’s the instruments in Bach, the sound they produce is heavenly music; when it’s the speakers at the launch of LEAP UK, it is perfect, even common, sense.”

A Giant LEAP Forward in Westminster 

• Our friend Scroobius Pip hosted a live podcast on the LEAP UK evening event:

LEAP UK Special

• Avinash Tharoor from the Prohibition Post marked our launch with:

Coalition of UK Police Denounce War on Drugs

• Deej Sullivan delves in via VolteFace.me:

LEAP UK Launches in Parliament

• SNP MP for Inverclyde, Ronnie Cowan, gives reform a fantastic endorsement on Politics Home:

Simple changes in drugs policy could save thousands of lives

With more followed-up in the Greenock Telegraph and CommonSpace

• Jonathan Liebling of the UPA gives us attention on his blog:

LEAP Day Launch for LEAP UK

• BBC Radio Kent‘s Political Reporter, Tom Darby, reports on the launch and interviews Executive Direcotor Jason Reed – and a phone in with LEAP’s Diane Goldstein vs. Julian Brazier MP.

BBC Radio Kent

And we were pleased to have most of the morning on LBC Radio dedicated to us with James O’Brien (on paywall subscription) which included a phone in with LEAP UK Chairman, Neil Woods and friend of LEAP, Tom Lloyd.

We were also lucky to have support from eminent figures of medicine with Doctor Christian Jessen in attendance and tweeting throughout our launch. Sam Branson also tweeted with enthusiasm, and author of Chasing the Scream, Johann Hari spoke with a great deal of eloquence and emotive energy in the House of Commons. We thank everyone sincerely, and this is just the start!