Seattle Police Chief to Be Named Drug Czar Today

President Obama will name Seattle Police Chief R. Gil Kerlikowske as the nation’s drug czar today, ending a long search that was slowed as details of drug arrests involving Kerlikowske’s son came to light.

The administration will remove the job’s Cabinet designation — reversing an elevation of the office under President George W. Bush — although one senior official said that Kerlikowske would have “full access and a direct line to the president and the vice president.” The source also noted that Vice President Biden was instrumental in the creation of the Office of National Drug Control Policy and would continue to be an outspoken advocate on the issue.

Kerlikowske has long been speculated to be the front-runner to serve as the drug czar. But revelations concerning the arrests of his son, Jeffrey, on drug-related charges complicated the process.

The White House acknowledged Jeffrey Kerlikowske’s past drug use but offered no specifics or comment.

In his remarks today accepting the nomination, Kerlikowske is expected to reference his family struggles with drug abuse. “Our nation’s drug problem is one of human suffering,” according to his prepared remarks. “As a police officer, but also in my own family, I have experienced first-hand the devastating effects that drugs can have on our youth, our families and our communities.”

via Seattle Police Chief to Be Named Drug Czar – washingtonpost.com.

It’s nice to see the Drug Czar’s office demoted to a non-Cabinet post again. It’s even nicer that a police chief with experience in one of America’s most cannabis-friendly cities, home to a peaceful annual gathering of 300,000 stoners, and some personal experience with drug problems in his own family is going to be in charge of our drug policy.  I look forward to these confirmation hearings.

Now if we could just change those words “Drug Control” to “Drug Harm Reduction” or “Drug Regulation”…