The President’s drug control strategy is delegated to the authority of the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP). The Director of ONDCP, often called the Drug Czar, is a Senate-confirmed position that is responsible for informing the President on all things drug policy related. The Drug Czar manages the nation’s response to the drug crisis, in part by crafting the National Drug Control Strategy, certifying the budgets of the federal drug control agencies, and coordinating the drug-related efforts of 19 federal agencies.

The role of the Director of ONDCP has been in and out of the cabinet since its inception. Re-elevating this position to the Cabinet would empower the Drug Czar to cut through bureaucratic red tape, allowing the office to better lead a whole-of-government response to our nation’s drug crisis. The reinstatement is popular amongst members of the House and Senate in addition to former ONDCP leadership, various advocacy groups, treatment centers, and was the first recommendation in the U.S. Commission on Combating Synthetic Opioid Trafficking’s 2022 report.