HomeThe Briefing RoomDrug PolicyThe Drug Czar Could Become A Cabinet-level Position

The Drug Czar Could Become A Cabinet-level Position

  • February 14, 2022
  • Posted by: Keith Graves
  • Category: Drug Policy
No Comments

A new report recommends making the director (“Drug Czar“) of the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) a Cabinet-level position and having the office coordinate government efforts to tackle the fentanyl crisis. 

The report came from the U.S. Commission on Combating Synthetic Opioid Trafficking and recommends criminal justice efforts and diplomacy to disrupt the supply of precursors used to make fentanyl and other synthetic opioids. These precursor chemicals are all coming from China and being shipped to Mexico.

The report recommends that prevention resources and access to treatment be increased in order to reduce demand for illicit substances. “Treatment programs should follow science-based best practices,” the report states. The report also calls for developing surveillance and data analysis tools to more quickly discover new trends in illicit substance use.

“Through its work, the commission came to recognize the impossibility of reducing the availability of illegal synthetic opioids through efforts focused on supply alone,” the report said. “Real progress can come only by pairing illicit synthetic opioid supply disruption with decreasing the domestic U.S. demand for these drugs.”

fentanyl training on demand
Get training on demand at OnlineDrugTraining.com
Get Fentanyl Training Now!

What is the Drug Czar and the ONDCP?

The Drug Czar is a slang term used to describe the person that heads the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP). The current head of ONDCP is Dr. Rahul Gupta. The ONDCP was created in 1989 to provide coordination and leadership for the nation’s drug control efforts. The Drug Czar is appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate.

What could happen if the ONDCP becomes a cabinet-level position?

If the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) were to become a cabinet-level position, it would signify a significant shift in how the government tackles drug abuse. The ONDCP would be in charge of developing and implementing national drug control policies, as well as overseeing federal drug enforcement. This would give the agency more authority and resources to combat the abuse of drugs, and would likely result in more effective and efficient drug policy. This would be a great move to combat drug addiction in the United States. 



Author: Keith Graves
Keith is a retired Police Sergeant, working his entire 29 year career in the San Francisco Bay Area. Keith is a recipient of the prestigious California’s Narcotics Officer of the Year Award and is a prior winner of MADD’s California Hero Award. He has years of experience as a Narcotics Detective and a Narcotics Unit Supervisor and is a Drug Recognition Expert Instructor (IACP #3292). Keith has developed several courses for the Department of Defense, California Narcotics Officers Association, and California POST, and numerous police agencies and private corporations. Keith has held other assignments besides narcotics including Training Sergeant, Patrol Sergeant, COPPS Officer, Traffic Officer, and 20 years as a SWAT Team member and Sniper Team Leader. Keith has taught thousands of officers and businesses around the world about drug use, drug trends, compliance training and drug investigations. Keith is also the founder of Christian Warrior Training, where he provides free resources and training to church security ministries. He is recognized as an international drug expert and has testified as an expert in court proceedings on drug cases, homicide cases and rape prosecutions. Keith earned a BA in Business Management from Saint Mary’s College of California and a MA in Criminal Justice. Keith is the Founder and President of Graves & Associates, a company dedicated to providing drug training to law enforcement, the Department of Defense, and private industry internationally. You can follow Keith on social media on Facebook (DopeCop and DrugEnforcementCops), twitter (DopeCop) and Instagram (DrugEnforcementCops).

Leave a Reply