Professor Owen Bowden-Jones has been recognised on the King’s Birthday Honours List 2025, which marks the “extraordinary contributions and service of people across the UK”.
The Orders of the British Empire were first introduced during World War One by King George V “to honour the wide-ranging war services of large numbers of civilians, especially in the voluntary sectors”. Today, they are awarded “for prominent national or regional roles, and to those making distinguished or notable contributions in their own specific areas of activity”. There are three ranks: Commander (CBE), Officer (OBE), and Member (MBE).
The SSA’s President, Professor Owen Bowden-Jones, was awarded a CBE on 14 June 2025 for his services to addiction rehabilitation and public service. Below is an excerpt from The Gazette, the UK’s newspaper of record, used by the monarchy and government to officially mark key events, decisions, and honours:
Professor Owen Bowden-Jones is a Consultant in Addiction Psychiatry and Chair of the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD). In 2010, he founded the CNWL Club Drug Clinic – an innovative service offering treatment for emerging drug problems, including novel psychoactive substances, club drugs, online purchased prescription medications, and chemsex. The service has since expanded to provide treatment within local sexual health services and universities.
