It appears we have a new Director at the Office of National Drug Control Policy.

That’s the part of the Executive Office of the President of the United States, created 36 years ago to advise the President on policy matters related to illegal drug use and trafficking. Its current annual budget is $379.1 million.

By the way, it was Richard Nixon way back in 1971 who first used the term Drug Czar. Obviously it stuck.

Some programs launched under the auspices of ONDCP:

  • The High intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) program, established in 1990 to “coordinate America’s drug-control efforts among local, state and federal law enforcement agencies… in critical regions of the United States.”
  • The National Youth Media AntiDrug Campaign, a 1998 initiative aimed at influencing public and media attitudes towards illegal drugs and their abuse.

The newly appointed Drug Czar is Sara Carter, a 45 year-old investigative journalist best known for  reporting on problems at the Mexican border, and for her appearances as a contributor on the Fox News Network.

Here’s something from *CBS News* on plans for ONDCP. The official report, almost 200 pages, is soon to be released.

New White House drug abuse strategy floats wastewater testing, AI, more treatment

A number of observer have remarked on this Administration’s preference for candidates who have a background at Fox News. By informal count, 23 have been hired to date.

I asked AI to make a list of some of the most recognizable faces.

Pete Hegseth (Defense Secretary): Former Fox & Friends Weekend host.
Sean Duffy (Transportation Secretary): Former Fox Business host.
Tulsi Gabbard (Director of National Intelligence): Former Fox News contributor.
Jeanine Pirro (US Attorney for DC): Former Fox host.
Dan Bongino (FBI Deputy Director): Former Fox contributor.
Tom Homan (Border Czar): Fox News contributor.
Mike Huckabee (Ambassador to Israel): Former Fox host.
Sebastian Gorka (Deputy Assistant to the President): Former Fox contributor.

Another alum of Fox News was just appointed Surgeon General. I was pleased to see she was a practicing physician, not another attorney or politician.

Still, I have to wonder if “Fox contributor”  actually appears in the job description.

Anyway, ONDCP is a big job, and although I can think of other possible candidates who have more expertise and stronger backgrounds in the field, we wish Sara Carter good luck in her new position.