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ABOUT UKDPC


The UK Drug Policy Commission launched in April 2007 and will run until December 2012. Our objectives are to:
  • Provide independent and objective analysis of UK drug policy;
  • Ensure this is used by UK governments when considering policy, and by the media and public to encourage a wider, informed debate.
The commission can be described as objective as we are independent of government and special interests, both in our funding and work programme. We are not a campaigning body and we do not come from any particular standpoint. We are a charity and limited company and are grateful to the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation for its support.

The commission does not set out to make scientific assessments about the harm of any particular substance because other bodies including the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs and the Independent Scientific Committee on Drugs do that.

What we seek to do is identify and advocate better ways of making decisions about drug policy so that they are made consistently, with the best use of the evidence available.

When drugs represent such a significant burden to public health through disease, public order and social problems we believe policy can be improved by creating a simpler more effective drug policy framework – fit for our time – that will help to sort out the currently confused debates about drug policies in our country.

We commission research and collect evidence about what works to inform and enfourage good decisions about drug prevention, control, enforcement and treatment. 
HONORARY PRESIDENT

COMMISSIONERS
TRUSTEES
  • Jan King, Independent Consultant
  • Eric Appleby, Independent Consultant
FULL-TIME STAFF
  • Roger Howard is Chief Executive
  • Nicola Singleton is Director of Policy & Research
  • Leo Barasi is Head of Communications
  • Helen Beck is Policy Researcher 
  • Roderick Montgomery is Charity Administrator
Photo collage: UK drug policy - a complex issue