Sweden's story in responses

doi:10.1136/bmj.39402.598924.BE

BMJ 2007;335:1061 (24 November), doi:10.1136/bmj.39402.598924.BE

Letters

Should drugs be decriminalised?

Sweden's story in responses

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

Echoing Califano's citation of Sweden's drug policy in his contributionto the head to head debate,¹ H C Raabe writes:

"Around three decades ago, Sweden adopted the goal to createa ‘drug-free society.' The result is impressive with essentiallythe lowest rates of drug abuse in Europe, lower than, for example,the Netherlands and much lower than the UK."

But, replies Andrew Byrne, "Sweden's goal of a drug-free societyhas been a cruel hoax on its people. Read the official EMC [EuropeanMonitoring Centre] figures from Lisbon: high rates of hepatitisC, enormous alcohol problems, amphetamines at higher rates thanmany other European countries. Its approach has been repressive,expensive, and largely ineffective. Along with the USA, Swedenis one of the last western countries without a needle servicesfor drug users. This leads to HIV, bacterial infections, andother preventable and costly burdens on the Swedes."

Stephen A Rolles . . . [Full text of this article]

Sharon Davies, letters editor

BMJ, London WC1H 9JR

sdavies@bmj.com