Drug Strategy Directorate (DSD)

The Drugs Strategy Directorate based in the Home Office, oversees the delivery of the National Drugs Strategy's aims through the work of drug action teams (DATs).
 
The Directorate works closely with the the Home Office,  Department of Health (DH), the Department for Education and Skills (DfES) and the Treasury as well as with key agencies.

The Directorate is headed by Vic Hogg and is organised into five Drugs units:

Drug Legislation and Enforcement Unit - DLEU

This unit is responsible for the delivery of strategy aims relating to communities and disrupting supply in partnership with the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, HM Customs and Excise and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.  It is also responsible for the statutory framework governing the wider misuse of drugs; the regulation of the licit trade in controlled drugs and chemicals; European and wider international liaison; and provides the secretariat to the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs.  The unit is led by Tony Hall.

Treatment and Young People Drugs Unit - TYPDU

This unit is led by Alastair Bridges.  It is responsible for the delivery of strategy aims relating to treatment and young people in partnership with the Department of Health and the Department for Education and Skills. It is also responsible for the performance management of local Drug Action Teams through the Regional Drug Strategy teams, diversity, workforce planning, Positive Futures and the Blueprint drug education research programme. 

DSD Directorate Secretariat Unit

The Directorate Secretariat Unit oversees the delivery of the National Drugs Strategy. It is responsible for co-ordinating the drugs input to Spending Reviews  Drug Strategy Delivery Plans and performance management of the Drug Strategy.  It co-ordinates briefing for the PM Stocktakes, the Ministerial Sub-Committee on Drugs (DA(D) and the official led Strategic Planning Boards, drug PQs, Ministerial briefing and correspondence for the Directorate.  It leads on internal and external communications and provides corporate services - finance, personnel and record management. This unit is led by Judy Youell.

Drug Interventions Programme Drugs Unit - DIP(DU)

The Drug Interventions Programme Drugs Unit (DIPDU) was formed in February 2003 to respond to a major expansion of criminal justice interventions, aimed at getting drug misusing offenders out of crime and into effective treatment. Focussing first (2003/04) on the 30 Basic Command Units with the highest levels of drug-related crime, DIPDU is responsible for ensuring delivery of the new programme and therefore, the reduction in drug-related crime aim.  This unit is led by Peter Wheelhouse.

Partnership and Performance Support Unit - (PPSU)

This unit is led by David Truscott.  It is responsible for driving the delivery of the National Drug Strategy at regional and local level through the development and implementation of a Performance management Framework for the national drugs strategy. 

For general enquiries please contact feedback@drugs.gov.uk