Journal profile · SUBSTANCE ABUSE
International Journal of Drug Policy
ISSN 0955-3959 · eISSN 1873-4758 · Elsevier
International Journal of Drug Policy: CAS Zone 2 · Medicine (2025 upgraded edition, Top journal); impact factor 4.35; hybrid open access; APC about USD 4,350; median 113 days to acceptance (113 articles, last 24 months); 315 articles in 2025; indexed in SSCI and Scopus.
Scope
Aims, scope and focus
International Journal of Drug Policy is published by Elsevier and is in Zone 2 of Medicine in the CAS Journal Ranking (2025 upgraded edition, Top journal). By OpenAlex counts of its recent articles, its largest topics are HIV, Drug Use, Sexual Risk, Substance Abuse Treatment and Outcomes and Opioid Use Disorder Treatment, together about 52.9% of its articles. (generated from OpenAlex topic counts and CAS ranking data)
The International Journal of Drug Policy provides a forum for the dissemination of current research, reviews, debate, and critical analysis on drug use and drug policy in a global context. It seeks to publish material on the social, political, legal, and health contexts of psychoactive substance use, both licit and illicit. The journal is particularly concerned to explore the effects of drug policy and practice on drug-using behaviour and its health and social consequences. It is the policy of the journal to represent a wide range of material on drug-related matters from around the world.Please submit your article via https://www.editorialmanager.com/DRUGPO/default.aspx.
From the journal's Aims & Scope
Research area (LetPub): SUBSTANCE ABUSE
Editor-in-chief Jason GrebelyPublisher website
Editorial board by country: none in mainland China; most named Australia 32, United States 31, United Kingdom 14, Canada 11, Denmark 3 (102 members with a country) Editorial board ↗Publisher website ·
Main research topics OpenAlex counts of recent articles; shares are approximate
- HIV, Drug Use, Sexual RiskMedicine22.9%
- Substance Abuse Treatment and OutcomesMedicine15.6%
- Opioid Use Disorder TreatmentMedicine14.4%
- Forensic Toxicology and Drug AnalysisPharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmaceutics5.3%
- Cannabis and Cannabinoid ResearchMedicine4.9%
- HIV/AIDS Research and InterventionsMedicine4.8%
- Hepatitis C virus researchMedicine4.1%
- Crime, Illicit Activities, and GovernanceSocial Sciences3.3%
Rankings & indexing
CAS ranking and database indexing
CAS Journal Ranking
CAS Journal Ranking, upgraded edition (March 2025)Medicine Zone 2
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Medicine | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Substance Abuse | Zone 1 |
Top journal: yesReview journal: no
CAS Xinrui Journal Ranking (March 2026)Medicine Zone 2
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Medicine | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Substance Abuse | Zone 1 |
Top journal: yesReview journal: not marked
CAS Journal Ranking, previous upgraded edition (December 2023)Medicine Zone 2
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Medicine | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Substance Abuse | Zone 1 |
Top journal: yesReview journal: no
Database indexing
SSCIScopusLetPub
International journal early-warning lists: not listed in any editionLetPub
Editions, and major and minor categories, are shown separately and never merged into one zone; check which edition your institution uses before you submit or report.
Metrics
Impact metrics and publication volume
Impact
- Impact factor
- 4.35LetPub ·
- Impact factor (publisher)
- 4.4Publisher website ·
- CiteScore 2026-06
- 7.1LetPub ·
- CiteScore (publisher)
- 7.1Publisher website ·
- SJR 2026-06
- 1.77LetPub ·
- SNIP 2026-06
- 1.5LetPub ·
- h-index
- 131OpenAlex ·
- i10-index
- 2,856OpenAlex ·
- 2-year mean citedness
- 3.77OpenAlex ·
- Self-citation rate
- 18.2%LetPub ·
- Share of gold OA articles
- 56.79%LetPub ·
Volume
- Articles per year
- 304LetPub ·
Articles by year OpenAlex count · 4,841 in total · the current year is incomplete
| Year | Articles | Open access | Citations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 304 | 228 | 113 |
| 2025 | 315 | 232 | 961 |
| 2024 | 308 | 247 | 2,419 |
| 2023 | 264 | 189 | 3,343 |
| 2022 | 250 | 159 | 4,653 |
| 2021 | 348 | 184 | 7,876 |
Sources count differently and were observed at different times, so each source's own value is kept; "publisher" marks figures from the journal's website.
Review & acceptance
Review time and acceptance
Review time from article dates manuscript dates registered with PubMed · to
113 daysMedian, submission to acceptance · P25–P75 80 days – 152 days
- Acceptance to online
- median 9 days (113 articles)
- Submission to online
- median 125 days
- Sample
- 113 articles with submission and acceptance dates (722 in the window); the latest was accepted on
Only articles that were accepted and published are counted, not the time spent on rejected manuscripts, so this usually runs longer than a publisher's "time to first decision".
Other sources
- Submission to first decision
- 5 daysPublisher website ·
- First decision after review
- 52 daysPublisher website ·
- Submission to acceptance
- 123 daysPublisher website ·
- Acceptance to publication
- 11 daysPublisher website ·
- Peer review
- Single anonymous peer reviewPublisher website
Community reports come from authors' own submissions (confidence 0.5) and are not a promise from the journal; for publisher figures, the journal's own definitions apply.
Fees & open access
APC and open-access policy
Hybrid open accessLetPub
A subscription journal in which authors can pay to publish their article open access.
| Source | APC | Fee waiver | License | Observed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| OpenAlex | USD 4,350 / EUR 4,070 / GBP 3,480 / JPY 539,530 | — | — | |
| Publisher website | USD 4,170 | — | — |
A hybrid journal charges the APC only when the author chooses open access; publishing under the subscription model is usually free.
The journal's website is authoritative for fees; sources were observed at different times and each keeps its own value, without averaging.
Submission
Article types and submission policies (journal website)
What to prepare5 items from the author guidelines
- Abstract
- ≤ 250 words
- Keywords
- 1–7
- Reference style
- APA
- Highlights
- Required
- Graphical abstract
- Optional
Article types accepted12, with length limits
- case reportThe journal encourages the submission of the following types of manuscript:Research paper: These are original empirical analyses, usually between 3,000 and 5,00…Length not stated
- commentaryThe journal encourages the submission of the following types of manuscript:Research paper: These are original empirical analyses, usually between 3,000 and 5,00…Length not stated
- editorialThe journal encourages the submission of the following types of manuscript:Research paper: These are original empirical analyses, usually between 3,000 and 5,00…main text ≤ 2,000 words
- opinionThe journal encourages the submission of the following types of manuscript:Research paper: These are original empirical analyses, usually between 3,000 and 5,00…Length not stated
- policy analysisPolicy analysis: These are research analyses focused specifically around contemporary or historical analyses of policies and their impacts, and are usually betw…Length not stated
- research methodsResearch methods: These outline a new methodological approach, test a method, or provide analysis of methodological issues for drug policy research. They are us…Length not stated
- research paperThe journal encourages the submission of the following types of manuscript:Research paper: These are original empirical analyses, usually between 3,000 and 5,00…main text ≤ 5,000 words
- responseResponse: Responses are short comments on papers published in the current or previous issues. They are usually between 500 and 1,000 words. Responses do not req…Length not stated
- reviewThe journal encourages the submission of the following types of manuscript:Research paper: These are original empirical analyses, usually between 3,000 and 5,00…main text ≤ 8,000 words
- short reportShort report: Short reports are empirical research in short from. These can be up to 2,000 words, with one table, and no more than fifteen references. A structu…Length not stated
- systematic reviewThe journal encourages the submission of the following types of manuscript:Research paper: These are original empirical analyses, usually between 3,000 and 5,00…Length not stated
- viewpointThe journal encourages the submission of the following types of manuscript:Research paper: These are original empirical analyses, usually between 3,000 and 5,00…main text ≤ 1,200 words
Policy excerpts from the journal's websiteAI use, Authorship, Conflicts of interest, Publication ethics, License & copyright, Open access, Peer review, Preprints
- AI use Declaration of generative AI use
Authors must declare the use of generative AI tools in the manuscript preparation process upon submission of the paper.Generative AI and AI-assisted technologies (“AI tools”) have been rapidly adopted in research and scholarly publishing, offering significant benefits while requiring clear standards for responsible and transparent use.Authors preparing a manuscript for this journal may use AI tool…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Authorship Group authorship
Corresponding author Model summary
Group authorship refers to the attribution of an article to a defined and named group of authors whose members have contributed to the work. Examples include research consortia, clinical trial groups, collaborative networks, task forces or working groups, expert panels or consensus groups, and participatory research groups. Group authorship must be declared on the title page at submission. When av…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Conflicts of interest Declaration of competing interests
All authors must disclose any financial and personal relationships with other people or organizations that could inappropriately influence or bias their work. Examples of potential competing interests include:EmploymentConsultanciesStock ownershipHonorariaPaid expert testimonyPatent applications or registrationsGrants or any other fundingAffiliation with the journal as an Editor or Advisory Board …
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Publication ethics
Publishing ethics Model summary
Authors must follow ethical guidelines stated in Elsevier's Publishing Ethics Policy.
Source ↗Publisher website ·- License & copyright License options
Authors will be offered open access user license options which will determine how you, and third parties, can reuse your open access article. We advise that you review these options and any funding body license requirements before selecting a license option.
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Open access Open access
We refer you to our open access information page to learn about open access options for this journal.
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Peer review Peer review
Single anonymized review process Model summary
This journal follows a single anonymized review process. Your submission will initially be assessed by our editors. If your submission is deemed suitable, it will typically be sent to be reviewed by a minimum of two reviewers for an independent expert assessment of the scientific quality. The decision as to whether your article is accepted or rejected for publication will be made by our editors.Re…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Preprints Preprints
Preprint sharing Model summary
Preprint sharingAuthors may share preprints in line with Elsevier's article sharing policy. Sharing preprints, such as on a preprint server, will not count as prior publication.We advise you to read our policy on multiple, redundant or concurrent publication.
Source ↗Publisher website ·
Excerpts are quoted from the journal's website; "model summary" lines are written by Workers AI and checked against the text. The journal's website is authoritative.
Profile
Publication details and official links
- Publisher
- Elsevier
- ISSN
- 0955-3959
- Electronic ISSN
- 1873-4758
- Official links
- Journal homepage ↗LetPub
- Submission system ↗Publisher website
- Special issues ↗Publisher website
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about International Journal of Drug Policy
What CAS zone is International Journal of Drug Policy in?
In the 2025 upgraded edition of the CAS Journal Ranking, International Journal of Drug Policy is in Zone 2 of Medicine, and in Zone 1 of the minor category Substance Abuse; it is a Top journal. In the 2026 Xinrui edition it is in Zone 2 of Medicine. Zones from different editions, and from major and minor categories, are not interchangeable.
What is the impact factor of International Journal of Drug Policy?
The latest impact factor listed by LetPub is 4.35; CiteScore 7.1, h-index 131.
How long does peer review take at International Journal of Drug Policy?
Based on the dates recorded on 113 articles published between October 2024 and October 2026 (the last 24 months), the median time from submission to acceptance is 113 days (interquartile range 80–152 days). Article statistics cover accepted papers only, publisher figures follow the journal's own definitions, and community reports come from authors' own submissions; none is a promise from the journal.
What are the manuscript requirements of International Journal of Drug Policy?
According to the journal's author guidelines: Abstract: ≤ 250 words; Keywords: 1–7; Reference style: APA; Highlights: Required; Graphical abstract: Optional. A model extracted these from the author guidelines and each was checked against the text; check the latest version on the journal's website before submitting.
Where are the editorial board members of International Journal of Drug Policy based?
Of the 102 board members whose country the journal's board page names, none are in mainland China; the countries named most often are Australia (32), United States (31) and United Kingdom (14). Counted from the institutions listed on the board page; for reference only.
Which databases index International Journal of Drug Policy?
According to LetPub and DOAJ records, International Journal of Drug Policy is indexed in SSCI and Scopus.
Is International Journal of Drug Policy open access, and what is the APC?
International Journal of Drug Policy is a hybrid journal. For open-access publication: APC about USD 4,350.
Sources and updates
The facts on this page come from LetPub, Publisher website, OpenAlex; every figure is tagged with its source and the date it was observed, and conflicting values are kept per source. LetPub source page: view ↗ (archived 2026-08-25). Last updated: .