Kushlick founded the Transform Drug Policy Foundation in 1996. He is currently that organisation's head of external affairs. He has previously worked with various support organisations, covering learning difficulties, unemployed ex-offenders, drug counselling, and homelessness. In 2004, he co-authored the report After the War on Drugs: Options for Control, which is a critique of current drug policy in the UK and recommendations for reform. He is a regular commentator on drug policy in print and broadcast media – including BBC, Guardian, Observer, OpenDemocracy, Chatham House Magazine. His contributions can be accessed through Transform's blog.
In 2010, Kushlick was chosen to stand for Mark Thomas's The People's Manifesto in the 2010 general election in the Bristol West constituency. Kushlick only stood on policy – the legalisation and regulation of drugs – which was drawn from the original manifesto. At Mark Thomas's show at the Royal National Theatre on 7 April 2010, a selection of policies were directly put forward to Kushlick by members of the audience:
Drugs will be legalised and their production will be nationalised
If it pisses down with rain on a bank holiday, it will be considered a rollover
Newspaper retractions will be printed in the same font size and on the same page as the offending article
A cap will be put on house prices, relative to the average wage in the area
People who complain there are too many immigrants will be banned from restaurants serving anything other than British food
The railways will be re-nationalised
The introduction of a "maximum wage"
The introduction of a Tobin tax on all currency transactions
All ministers will have had experience of their ministry prior to taking office
Kushlick's party platform indicates that he will avoid taking the UK to war, and thinks that "the most important 'special relationship' isn't with the US, but with your mum". Kushlick has also been interviewed and cited by many authors for his experience on the subject of drug policy reform.
Personal life
Kushlick lives in St Andrews, Bristol, with his partner and two children. His partner, Fi Hance, is a Green Party councillor for the Redland ward in Bristol.
