ARTICLE: The Guardian UK
ALEXANDER SHULGIN Documentary
RELEASE
Sebastian spent most of the 70’s and 80’s traveling around the world as an ‘adventurer’. From crossing Brazil on horseback to modeling high profile labels in London, there were not many trades with which he did not engage.
A spell in the US prison system added to his extensive life experience portfolio. In 1990 he decided it was time to use his painfully gained expertise of drugs to get a “proper jobâ€. It wasn’t long before he had developed some of the more innovative harm reduction projects in the UK – these ranged from accessible community prescribing services to humane treatment in the highest security prisons.
Recently described by the Guardian newspaper as a “Rebel with a cause†– Sebastian is currently the executive director of RELEASE , the leading UK NGO focusing on drugs, the law and human rights.
Sebastian is a member of the EXPERT WITNESS INSTITUTE giving specialist evidence in UK law courts on subjects ranging from illicit drug trade socio-economics to the futility of imposing Anti Social Behaviour Orders (“ASBOsâ€) on heroin addicts.
In 2004 Sebastian started DTL to improve health services for people with drug problems.
He has also overseen the production of ground-breaking drug information films and has recently brought his knowledge and expertise in the field of drug policy to the development of feature length documentary film projects.
Sebastian lives in Camden with his long time partner Tracy and their two Maine Coone cats.