Obama's drug czar confirmed to lead U.S. border enforcement

Obama&#039;s drug czar confirmed to lead U.S. border enforcement

(Image credit: Win McNamee/Getty Images)

last updated 8 January 2015

I guess this is a promotion? On Thursday, the Senate confirmed Gil Kerlikowske, the head of the Office of National Drug Control Policy — or "drug czar" — to lead U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Homeland Security Department agency that oversees the Border Patrol. The job has been open since 2011. Kerlikowske is a former police chief of Seattle — which, to be fair, is near a major U.S. border.

If Obama is looking for a new drug czar, maybe he could see if CNN celebrity doctor Sanjay Gupta is interested. Gupta turned Obama down for Surgeon General five years ago, but maybe he'd be more interested in a position where he could influence policy on medical marijuana.

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Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.