Sweden: integrated compulsory treatment

In the year 2000, 804 adults were in coercive care for a maximum of 6 months under the Swedish Act on Care of Addicts in Certain Cases, which has both paternalistic and utilitarian motives. The extensive rights of the state to intervene in the private lives of its citizens seem to have a solid support in society. The article describes the present system and offers some explanations for its acceptance by looking at history. The fact that compulsory decisions have been made within the social administration has meant that such measures grew with the welfare system and could benefit from its goodwill. The medical profession provided motivation for preventive compulsory measures for social or individual reasons and gave hope for a cure. The crucial involvement of laypersons and non-governmental organisations in decision-making and provision of compulsory treatment has given compulsory treatment a high political legitimacy. Compulsion became 'internalised' in the Swedish society. The economic and political liberalisation of today may pose a threat to the Swedish compulsory treatment of substance misusers.