Majority of parties support re-evaluating Sweden's strict drug policies

Sweden’s long-standing zero-tolerance drugs policy deserves a fresh look, a majority of parliament’s Committee on Health and Welfare told broadcaster SVT
The Local (Sweden)
Saturday, March 30, 2019

Drug laws in Sweden have not been evaluated in decades, even as the country’s harsh approach has left it increasingly isolated from its neighbours. After the Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions (Sveriges kommuner och landsting, SKL) recently came out in support of re-evaluating the nation’s penal code for drug offenses, SVT found that a majority of the political parties on the Committee on Health and Welfare also believe it is time to give drug laws a new look. While SKL’s proposal and the committee members’ openness might perhaps reveal a shift in thinking, it is far from universal. (See also: 79-year-old Swedish woman jailed for using cannabis to treat pain)