Obituary: Dave Bewley-Taylor 24 September 1968 - 20 November 2024
It is with great sadness that we share the news that Dave Bewley-Taylor, a longstanding fellow of the Transnational Institute and companion of the TNI’s Drugs & Democracy programme, passed away on 20 November 2024 after a valiant and long battle with cancer. Dave passed away at home, surrounded by family, pain-free and in peace.
Dave was a good friend, a great ally in our struggles to reform drug policy and a wonderful academic that did not remain in his ivory tower, but actually engaged in trying to redress stuff that is just plainly wrong. A true example for many. Not only for us at TNI, but for the drug policy reform movement worldwide.
For many, Dave was a source of knowledge and wisdom, and a much-loved friend who will be greatly missed the world over. Dave and the drugs programme met in 2002, and since then we worked together especially in terms of reforming UN drug control policies and reform the UN drug control conventions. He not only became an ally, but also a close and kind friend. His work will continue to guide us and inspire many and his legacy will live on.
He was, among many other things, the co-founder of International Drug Policy Consortium (IDPC) and the Director of the Global Drug Policy Observatory (GDPO) at Swansea University where Dave was also Professor of International Relations and Public Policy.
A remembrance page has been set-up for colleagues and friends from across the world, and which is also being shared with Dave’s wife and family to ensure they know how much he will be missed and how highly he was regarded. Please add your own memories, photos and condolences here.
