Dr. William L. Dewey receives CPDD Distinguished Service Award

In June, 2009, William L. Dewey, Interim Chair and Professor of Pharmacology and Toxicology, received a Distinguished Service Award from the College on Problems of Drug Dependence. Dr. Dewey has been a long-standing member of the College and has served the college in every capacity including President- twice. The Distinguished Service Award was given to recognize his service to the College in the area of public policy. Dr. Dewey has long served as the Public Policy officer for CPDD with responsibility for managing the Washington-based advocacy work for the College. He spends a lot of time traveling to and from Washington every year, meeting with representatives of Congress (and anyone who will listen) where he advocates for more funding for both research and treatment, for better education of the public, and for a more compassionate approach to improving the lives of those affected by drug dependence.

In addition, Dr. Dewey led the development of Friends of NIDA, which is a coalition of more than 40 national organizations who share his vision of support for drug abuse research. This broad membership, through its sheer numbers, allows a stronger voice to be heard than could be achieved by any single organization like CPDD. Friends of NIDA sponsors many activities, one of their highest profile and highest impact accomplishments has been the organization of Educational Briefings on Capitol Hill that are held on average two to three times per year. In each case, a specific issue in drug dependence is highlighted by the NIDA Director, Dr. Nora Volkow, an affected patient and a prominent researcher in that area. These briefings have been remarkably well attended and their success a testament to Dr. Dewey’s perserevance, commitment and enthusiasm.

Pictured: Bill Dewey receives the Distinguished Service Award from CPDD President, Sharon Walsh