Aim: To analyze how the Police in Sweden perceives the drug problem and how it relates to changes in drug politics in the direction of liberalization. Method: The material analyzed consists of a content-analysis of the magazine of the Swedish Narcotic Police Association, covering 145 issues since the start in 1988, concentrating on lead articles, editorials and other articles on principles and politics. Results: The magazine demonstrate an alarmistic view of the drug problem, criticize government agencies and the media for liberal views, question the motives of proponents of decriminalization and legalization, leaves the costs of control of drug interventions aside, and sees the Police as guardian of status quo and as the defender of the goal of Swedish drug policy: “a drug-free society”.

Background: Drug use was criminalized in Sweden in 1988 with aim of reducing the number of consumers and drug-related risks and harms. Imprisonment was introduced into the penalty scale in 1993 to improve the legislation's effectiveness. The criminalization has never been evaluated. Method: Goal-attainment evaluation based on a range of indicators from surveys, case-finding estimates, healthcare and cause-of-death data, and crime statistics. Comparative drug policy analysis is conducted with other Nordic countries. Results: The criminalization is not followed by a reduced or more expensive drug supply, reduced consumption levels, problematic drug use or healthcare needs, or to fewer drug-related deaths. Most of the indicators instead show the opposite. Control costs are high, and trends are no better than those of other Nordic countries, despite Sweden's more repressive drug policy. Conclusion: Criminalization emerges as an ineffective, expensive and harmful means of dealing with the drugs problem.

This chapter aims to understand the connection between Sweden's very restrictive drug policy and this international commitment. It begins by briefly describing and explaining the development of Swedish drug policy. The chapter then gets to grips with the connection to the international arena in which Sweden becomes active after the mid-1980s. It describes the international launch of a successful Swedish drug policy culminating in the UN-meeting in 1998. The chapter illustrates how Sweden retreats from the argument of an effective policy in relation to drug abuse and instead defends its policy by references to the protections of general values like democracy, welfare, and human rights. It demonstrates how Sweden's international entrepreneurship serves as a national resource and is a moral mission with long historical roots.