Drug czar

Drug czar is an informal name for the person who directs drug-control policies in various areas. The term follows the informal use of the term czar in U.S. politics. The 'drug czar' title first appeared in a 1982 news story by United Press International that reported that, "[United States] Senators ... voted 62–34 to establish a 'drug czar' who would have overall responsibility for U.S. drug policy."^[1] Since then, several ad hoc executive positions established in both the United States and United Kingdom have subsequently been referred to in this manner.

Germany

The Drug Commissioner of the German Federal Government has been called the nation's drug czar by the state media company Deutsche Welle.^[2]

United States

The first US Drug czar was Harry J. Anslinger who served as the first Commissioner of the Treasury-Board created Federal Bureau of Narcotics from 1930-1962, under the administrations of five presidents: Hoover, Roosevelt, Truman, Eisenhower and Kennedy. Legislative efforts for marijuana prohibition under Anslinger included a push for all states to adopt similar drug laws, the Uniform State Narcotic Drug Act and the Marijuana Tax Act of 1937, which in effect criminalized the drug and set the stage for marijuana prohibition.

Nixon and Ford administrations

Jerome Jaffe, head of the Special Office for Drug Abuse Prevention
Myles Ambrose, head of the Office of Drug Abuse Law Enforcement (ODALE)
Robert DuPont, Director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse and head of the Narcotics Treatment Administration

Carter administration

Peter Bourne, Director of the National Drug Control Policy
Mathea Falco, Assistant Secretary of State for International Narcotics

Reagan administration

Carlton Turner PhD, ScD, Director of the Drug Abuse Policy Office
D. Ian McDonald, MD. Deputy Assistant to the President, Drug Abuse Policy Office

1988–present

The Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy

Trump administration

(Opioid czar): The Chair of the Opioid and Drug Abuse Commission. Note: In March 2017 it was announced that governor of New Jersey Chris Christie was to head the Commission.^[3]

State and local authorities

In California, the head of the state Bureau of Medical Cannabis has been called "marijuana czar".^[4]

Following statewide medical and recreational legalization, the city of Sacramento, California appointed a director of cannabis policy and enforcement, called a pot czar.^[5]

In Washington State, the consultant to the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board determining statewide procedures and regulations following legalization was "quickly dubbed 'pot czar'".^[6] A similar cannabis regulation staff position in Oregon Liquor Control Commission was also called "marijuana czar".^[7]

United Kingdom

In the UK, Keith Hellawell, former Drugs Advisor to the Labour government of Tony Blair, has been referred to as a drug czar.

References

^ Anthony H. Gamboa (4 January 2005). "Letter to Hon. John W. Olver & Hon. Henry A. Waxman, subject: Office of National Drug Control Policy" (PDF). csdp.org. U.S. Government Accountability Office. pp. 14–15. Retrieved 4 August 2014. We conclude that ONDCP's prepackaged news stories violate the ban on covert propaganda, but its use of the term "drug czar" to refer to ONDCP's Director does not violate the ban on self-aggrandizement.
^ German Youths Choose Alcohol Over Cannabis, Drug Czar Says, Deutsche Welle, May 5, 2008
^ https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2017/03/29/chris-christie-to-lead-trump-white-house-drug-commission/
^ Patrick McGreevy (April 7, 2016), "Has she smoked weed? What will happen with recreational pot?: A conversation with California's first marijuana czar", The Los Angeles Times
^ Sacramento 'Pot Czar' preparing for legalization of recreational marijuana sales, KXTV ABC 10 TV News, October 31, 2017
^ Ben Livingston (April 10, 2013), "Don't Call Him the "Pot Czar": Mark Kleiman Is Advising the State on How to Run a Legal Pot Industry", The Stranger
^ Anna Staver (December 18, 2014), "Oregon's marijuana czar ready to look for answers", Statesman Journal, Salem, Oregon

External links

Senators urge Obama to deliver consistent message on marijuana Fresno Bee, July 29, 2014

[1] Anthony H. Gamboa (4 January 2005). "Letter to Hon. John W. Olver & Hon. Henry A. Waxman, subject: Office of National Drug Control Policy" (PDF). csdp.org. U.S. Government Accountability Office. pp. 14–15. Retrieved 4 August 2014. We conclude that ONDCP's prepackaged news stories violate the ban on covert propaganda, but its use of the term "drug czar" to refer to ONDCP's Director does not violate the ban on self-aggrandizement.

[2] German Youths Choose Alcohol Over Cannabis, Drug Czar Says, Deutsche Welle, May 5, 2008

[3] ttps://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2017/03/29/chris-christie-to-lead-trump-white-house-drug-commission/

[4] Patrick McGreevy (April 7, 2016), "Has she smoked weed? What will happen with recreational pot?: A conversation with California's first marijuana czar", The Los Angeles Times

[5] Sacramento 'Pot Czar' preparing for legalization of recreational marijuana sales, KXTV ABC 10 TV News, October 31, 2017

[6] Ben Livingston (April 10, 2013), "Don't Call Him the "Pot Czar": Mark Kleiman Is Advising the State on How to Run a Legal Pot Industry", The Stranger

[7] Anna Staver (December 18, 2014), "Oregon's marijuana czar ready to look for answers", Statesman Journal, Salem, Oregon

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