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 Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) is a component of the Executive Office of the President of the United States. The director of the ONDCP, colloquially known as the drug czar, heads the office. "Drug czar" was a term first used in the media by Richard Nixon in 1971. [2]

In the United States, the informal term "czar" (or, less often, "tsar") is employed in media and popular usage to refer to high-level executive-branch officials who oversee a particular policy field. Until 2025, there had never been any U.S. government offices with the formal title "czar". The earliest known use of the term for a U.S. government official was in the administration of …

Jan 21, 2025 · Derek Maltz, a veteran of the Drug Enforcement Administration, is expected to help lead Trump's effort to fight fentanyl traffickers with terror laws.

Sep 26, 2024 · CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — West Virginia’s new drug czar has a very personal reason for wanting to end the state’s opioid crisis: He was once addicted to prescription painkillers himself.

Jul 26, 2022 · MANCHESTER, N.H. — During a recent interview here, Dr. Rahul Gupta, President Biden’s drug czar, appeared to be on the verge of supporting a radical shift in U.S. drug control policy.

Jul 30, 2009 · In this illustrated history, Ricardo Cortes shows how science, politics, ego, and scandal transformed a public-health initiative into a century-long military campaign.

The Director of National Drug Control Policy, known as the Drug Czar, heads the office. "Drug Czar" was a term first used in the media by then-Senator Joe Biden in October 1982. [2] [3] In addition to running the ONDCP, the director evaluates, coordinates, and oversees both the international and domestic anti-drug efforts of executive branch ...

In his role as “Drug Czar,” Director Carroll serves as the principal advisor to the President of the United States on drug policy and oversees a passionate staff of approximately 100 professionals.

Jan 19, 2025 · You inherited the legacy of the war on drugs. A big part of that job was taking on the cartels, a historically fraught and dangerous prospect. What were the challenges there?