Briefing

SOCIAL POLICY: Drug experts warn against appointing 'gungho czar'

Experts warned the Government today not to turn its new drug czar into a
votecatching "gungho" general. They said the policy could backfire if
enforcement was overemphasised at the expense of treatment, rehabilitation
and prevention.

The four drugs experts, writing in the British Medical Journal, warned of
the dangers of "war" rhetoric. They were disappointed that the drug czar
had been charged with leading "the battle against drugs", and unhappy about
the US being chosen as a role model. "The macho nature of the post is
further signalled by its title no czarina need apply," they wrote. The
experts were led by John Strang, director of the National Addiction Centre,
London. His coauthors were William Clee, chairman of the Welsh Advisory
Committee on Drug and Alcohol Misuse, Lawrence Gruer, a consultant in
public health medicine from Glasgow, and Duncan Raistrick, director of the
Leeds Addiction Unit.

The role of the drug czar whose proper title is UK Antidrugs
Coordinator will be to take an overview of strategies to combat
substance abuse and make recommendations to the Government. Applications
for the post must be in by 5 September.