David Bewley-Taylor Research Fellow

David Bewley-Taylor (24 September 1968–20 November 2024) was the founding Director of the Global Drug Policy Observatory at Swansea University, UK. Over a distinguished career spanning more than two decades, David became a leading authority on drug policy, with a focus on US drug policy, the UN and international drug policy, and more recently, counter-narcotics strategies in Afghanistan.

David Bewley-Taylor

Contact David Bewley-Taylor

David authored two seminal research monographs: The United States and International Drug Control, 1909-1997 (Continuum, 2001) and International Drug Control: Consensus Fractured (Cambridge University Press, 2012). He also contributed numerous book chapters and published extensively in respected academic journals, including Diplomacy and Statecraft, Crime, Law and Social Change, The International Journal of Drug Policy, and Addiction Research and Theory. Known for his insightful analysis and thought leadership, David presented his work at conferences across Europe, North America, and Australia, and was a regular speaker and participant in civil society and government dialogues on drug policy.

David played a foundational role in advancing drug policy scholarship and advocacy. He was the founding secretary of the International Society for the Study of Drug Policy (2006–2007) and served on the Editorial Boards of The International Journal of Drug Policy and the International Journal on Human Rights and Drug Policy. He was also a member of the International Advisory Committee of the International Centre on Human Rights and Drug Policy and a technical advisor to the International Centre for Science in Drug Policy.

Beyond academia, David worked tirelessly to inform and shape drug policy practice. He collaborated with organizations such as the Beckley Foundation Drug Policy Programme and TNI’s Drugs and Democracy Programme, producing policy reports that influenced global debates. At the time of his passing, he was an Associate of the International Drug Policy Consortium.

David Bewley-Taylor’s groundbreaking contributions and steadfast commitment to humane, evidence-based drug policies leave an enduring legacy.