Michael C. Barnes, Esq., is Chairman of the Center for U.S. Policy, a not-for-profit organization advancing solutions to substance use disorder and the drug poisoning crisis. He is also Managing Attorney at Sequel Health Law, where he practices health and drug law and policy. Mr. Barnes’s research and analysis have been published in more than 15 legal, policy, and medical journals. He is a member of the advisory board for the Rx and Illicit Drug Summit, the board of directors for the Legislative Analysis and Public Policy Association, the National Sheriffs’ Association’s Drug Enforcement Committee, and the editorial board for the Journal of Opioid Management. He is a recipient of the Federation of State Medical Boards’ Ray L. Casterline, M.D., Award for Excellence in Writing. Mr. Barnes was a political appointee under President George W. Bush, having served as confidential counsel in the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy.