|
The drug policy of Sweden is based on zero tolerance focusing on prevention, treatment, and control, aiming to reduce both the supply of and demand for illegal drugs.〔(Maria Larsson, Minister for elderly Care and Public Health, Welcome speech by Ms Maria Larsson at the opening ceremony of The World Forum Against Drugs )〕 While using illegal substances is a crime, personal usage does not result in jail time if it is not in combination with driving a car.〔(Lawline: Påföljd vid ringa narkotikabrott, 2007-04-21 )〕 Penalties are divided into three degrees: 1) Lesser narcotics crimes come with penalties ranging from fines to a maximum six months in jail, 2) Narcotics crime that result in penalties ranging from fines to maximum of three years in jail, and 3) Severe narcotics crime with penalties ranging from not less than two years in jail up to a maximum of ten years in jail. There is also related legislation for mandatory health care that can possibly be used in conjunction with a sentence for a drug-related offense. The general drug policy is supported by all major political parties with the exception of Vänsterpartiet (the former communist, left-wing party). A study conducted in 2000 supports the view that the new, tougher policy has had a preventive effect on drug use.〔 A report by the UNODC praised Sweden for having one of the lowest drug usage rates in the western world, and attributes this to a drug policy that invests heavily in prevention and treatment (including free community services), as well as in strict law enforcement.〔(UNODC: Sweden's successful drug policy, 2007 )〕 However, the methodology of the UNODC report have been criticized for being unscientific and fundamentally biased in favor of repressive drug laws, since Sweden was the fourth largest donor to the UNODC in 2007.〔(The Swedish Foreign Office: About UNODC )〕〔(Peter Cohen: Looking at the UN, smelling a rat: A comment on "Sweden’s successful drug policy: a review of the evidence" UNODC September 2006 )〕 According to the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA), in 2005, the rate of drug-related deaths per capita in Sweden was more than twice that of the Netherlands and there were more persons addicted to severe narcotics ("heavy drugs") than in other countries.〔http://www.emcdda.europa.eu/stats07/drdtab05a〕 White House Drug Policy Director Kerlikowske in 2011 cited Sweden's Drug Control Policies as Model for U.S; prevalence rates for cocaine use in Sweden are barely one-fifth of European neighbors such as the United Kingdom and Spain.〔(White House Drug Policy Director Kerlikowske Meets with Swedish Counterdrug Officials, ONDCP, March 21st, 2011 )〕 ==History== Historically, Sweden was a poor country with a comparably low standard of living. Although it is a member of the vodka belt and has a tradition of widespread tobacco use, other drugs were rarely used until the mid-20th century. The 19th century saw the rise of the temperance movement, alongside the free churches and the labour movement.〔(SFI: The health of the swedish people – a historical perspective, 2004 )〕 State alcohol rationing, state monopoly on retail stores in alcohol, and temperance boards in the municipalities were introduced around the First World War. This decreased alcohol use to a level that was low through the 1930s, during the world wide economic crises. The temperance boards continued to exist after alcohol rationing ended in 1955. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Drug policy of Sweden」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
|