Get your International Journal of Drug Policy paper right the first time: a ready-made structure with the right abstract and citations, so editors see your science, not formatting slips.
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Authored by Sumalatha Gangadhar | Published on 17 August, 2026
Submitting to International Journal of Drug Policy goes smoothly when your draft already matches the journal's own rules. Editors screen new manuscripts against the International Journal of Drug Policy guide for authors before peer review, so formatting, structure, and required statements should be right on the first draft rather than repaired during upload. This template sets that structure up for you.
It is a manuscript shell aligned to International Journal of Drug Policy. It covers front matter, the abstract the journal expects, a body organized to the journal's article types, and a reference list in the journal's required style. Confirm current scope and article types on the International Journal of Drug Policy journal page before you draft.
Prepare the title, authors, affiliations, and ORCID iDs. Write the abstract to the journal's rule and word limit, organize the body to the article type, and apply the required reference style from the first citation. Complete every declaration (ethics, competing interests, funding, data availability) the International Journal of Drug Policy guide for authors lists, and cite figures and tables in order.
The common failure modes are formatting or reference style that does not match the guide for authors, missing required statements, and an incomplete portal checklist. Clear all three against the International Journal of Drug Policy guide for authors before you submit.
The shell mirrors what editorial staff check first: article-type fit, the abstract rules, required declarations, and the journal's reference style. For more detail see the author resources. When your draft is ready, upload it through Editorial Manager.
| Element | Int J Drug Policy requirement |
|---|---|
| Abstract | Structured abstract required for Research papers, Reviews, Research methods, and Short reports. Maximum 250 words. Headings used: Background, Methods, Results, Conclusion. Essays, Policy analysis, and Commentary require unstructured abstracts (maximum 250 words). Viewpoint articles do not require an abstract. Editorial and Response articles do not include abstracts |
| Main text | Research papers: 3,000-5,000 words (up to 8,000 words considered). Reviews: 4,000-8,000 words. Essays: 3,000-7,000 words. Research methods: 3,000-5,000 words. Policy analysis: 3,000-5,000 words (exceptionally up to 8,000 words). Short reports: up to 2,000 words with one table and no more than 15 references. Commentary: 2,500-4,000 words. Viewpoint: up to 1,200 words with maximum 10 references. Editorial: 1,500-2,000 words. Response: 500-1,000 words. Word counts exclude references, tables, and figures |
| Declarations | Ethics approval/consent as applicable; competing interests; funding; data availability |
| Figures/tables | Publication-ready; cited in order |
| Supplemental | Upload separately when used |
| Keywords | 1 to 7 keywords required for indexing purposes. Keywords should be written in English. Avoid keywords consisting of multiple words (using 'and' or 'of'). Only use abbreviations if firmly established in the field |
| References | APA 7th edition (American Psychological Association, 7th Edition, 2020). References arranged alphabetically then chronologically. Multiple references from same author(s) in same year identified by letters 'a', 'b', 'c', etc. after year |
| Peer review | Single anonymized review (also known as single-blind review). Submission initially assessed by editors, then typically sent to minimum of two reviewers for independent expert assessment |
| Submission | www.editorialmanager.com/DRUGPO |
Read the International Journal of Drug Policy guide for authors once before drafting and once before upload. Draft the abstract after results are stable. Set the reference style before adding citations. Keep a cover letter that states your contribution and fit to International Journal of Drug Policy in under a page.
Skim two or three recent Int J Drug Policy papers to calibrate depth and figure style. Make the novelty clear in the first two pages. Deposit data and code when the policy on the International Journal of Drug Policy journal page requires it. Disclose any preprint or conference version with identifiers in the cover letter.
Do one focused pass against the International Journal of Drug Policy guide for authors: scope, length, reference style, required declarations, and figure quality. Then submit through Editorial Manager.