Join Mike Trace, CEO of The Forward Trust, as he dives deep into the issues that shape our work — from addiction recovery and criminal justice reform to the future of UK drug policy.
With over 40 years’ experience supporting some of the most marginalised people in the UK, Mike brings rare insight into the challenges of prison overcrowding, reoffending, and the systems that drive them.
A former UK Deputy Anti-Drug Coordinator under Tony Blair and architect of the UK’s first National Drug Strategy, Mike shares expert analysis and practical ideas for real change.
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Mike looks at the subject of legalising drugs – always a hot political topic, but a question that raises complex issues of morality, public health, law enforcement, and social control. The complex nature of this issue is unpacked by The Forward Trust CEO, Mike Trace, picking up on the recent policy announcement by The Green Party to consider legalising drugs if they win the next General Election. As former deputy drug Czar in Tony Blair’s Labour Government, Mike's podcast urges a mature discussion of a very sensitive issue.
September 2025
Mike provides a deep-dive into the world of drug consumption rooms. Fresh from a recent visit to the UK's first legal drug consumption centre in Glasgow. As former deputy drug Czar to Tony Blair in the Labour Government, Mike's reflective podcast explores the complexity of this new approach - outlining the pros and cons of how these might evolve across the UK
July 2025
Mike Trace, discusses the recommendations of the recent London Drugs Commission report (May 2025.) The report makes 42 recommendations, in which Mike Trace talks through his views on many of the key points - including removing cannabis from the Misuse of Drugs Act. As a subject matter expert with over 40 years of experience of drug policy, Mike unpacks the detail of the report so you don’t have to!
Listen to all previous episodes of The Leading Forward podcast below.
