ONDCP DIRECTOR KERLIKOWSKE'S STOCKHOLM VISIT

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 STOCKHOLM 000802 SENSITIVE SIPDIS WHSR PLS PASS TO ONDCP CHRISTINE KOURTIDES E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: SNAR PREL KCRM AF SW SUBJECT: ONDCP DIRECTOR KERLIKOWSKE'S STOCKHOLM VISIT STOCKHOLM 00000802 001.2 OF 002 ¶1. (SBU) Summary: Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) Director R. Gil Kerlikowske on 8 December met with Stockholm County Police Commissioner Carin Gotblad, the Youth Chapter of the Stockholm Police Narcotic Division, Minister of Public Health Maria Larsson, and World Forum Against Drugs (WFAD)President Sven-Olov Carlsson and Board Member Per Johansson. During his meetings, Director Kerlikowske was briefed on the work of the Youth Chapter and GOS drug control policy. Director Kerlikowske explained that despite expectations among some, the Obama administration will not usher in a period of liberal drug policy, but hopes to introduce a more sophisticated and thoughtful discussion about the complex problem posed by drugs. Director Kerlikowske also provided an interview to Swedish Radio in which he thanked Sweden for its efforts in Afghanistan and highlighted the common threats from drug cultivation and smuggling of drugs from Afghanistan. End Summary. Youth Chapter of Stockholm Police Narcotics Division -------------- -------------- ¶2. (SBU) Stockholm County Police Commissioner Carin Gotblad briefly met with Director Kerlikowske before members of the Youth Chapter of the Stockholm Police Narcotic Division presented their unique and integrated approach to combating drugs among young people (under 25) in Sweden. The Youth Chapter employs a method that includes close partnership with social services and a Juvenile Clinic for young drug abusers, which focuses on detection and treatment as well as parent involvement. Members of the Youth Chapter also reported on developing new methods to prevent ordering drugs, including prescription drugs, via the internet and the use of internet based social networks as an important investigation tool. The participants also discussed laws governing police investigations, such as the Swedish police's right to conduct house searches or confiscate and "empty" a cell phone without a court order. Swedish policemen also do not face restrictions on crossing jurisdictions due to the centralized nature of the police system. Meeting with Minister of Public Health Maria Larsson -------------- -------------- ¶3. (SBU) Minister of Health Maria Larsson explained that although the national drug strategy originates from her ministry, the drug portfolio is shared with the ministries of Justice, Culture (schools and sports) and Finance (Customs). Minster Larsson stressed that Swedish drug policy aims to foster social attitudes that make drug use a socially unacceptable behavior and noted wide public and political support for prevention and treatment efforts in Sweden. The government's strategy focuses on prevention and treatment efforts, rather than supply and demand reduction, with decentralized implementation on the level of Swedish municipalities. ¶4. (SBU) In response to a question about the process of formulating a new national drug strategy, as the current one ends in 2010, the Minister informed Director Kerlikowske that the ministry initially seeks input from all the relevant stakeholders across Sweden, including NGOs. Emphasis is given to assessing the effectiveness of various methods to combat drug abuse in drafting the national strategy. Programs are pilot tested and, if effective, are implemented on a wider scale. The long-term 5 year strategy is complemented by annual reports that evaluate the progress during the previous year and set out steps for the following year to achieve the goals of the long-term strategy. ¶5. (SBU) Minister Larsson and Director Kerlikowske also exchanged views on and experiences with pilot programs that focus on health care practitioners. They agreed that doctors have an important role to play in reducing substance abuse. Minister Larsson argued that health practitioners must have the knowledge to link diseases to substance abuse and the tools to allow them to consult patients on substance abuse. She noted the role of doctors is especially important as "Swedes listen to doctors," but acknowledged that it is hard to reeducate physicians, who are used to treating patients with medications, to focus more on prevention. Minister Larsson said these programs mostly focus on tobacco and alcohol abuse and have been most successful in reduced alcohol use among pregnant women. ¶6. (SBU) In response to a question, Director Kerlikowske reflected on the current status of marijuana for medical use in the U.S. and noted that the legalization of marijuana for medical use has not been unproblematic and has had unexpected side effects, such as erosion of the quality of life in neighborhoods. The Director and Minister Larsson agreed that legalization of drugs and the creation of open areas for drug use or injection rooms (as in Olso or Vancouver) are not the answer to reducing drug use and can create more problems than they solve. Minister Larsson noted disagreements among her Nordic counterparts about support for such initiatives and STOCKHOLM 00000802 002.2 OF 002 stated that it is Swedish policy to avoid creating pockets of drug use. ¶7. (SBU) During their exchange, Director Kerlikowske noted the President's national drug control strategy would be released in February 2010 and that the Administration was seeking to address the problem of drug control from both a public health and public safety approach. He also confirmed legalization of marijuana held no place in the new strategy, and remarked that the USG looked forward to collaborating with Sweden to reduce drug use, including at the CND in March 2010. As Minister Larsson had just returned from a meeting on steroid abuse, there was also a brief discussion on the dangers and prevalence of steroid abuse. At the close of the meeting, Director Kerlikowske mentioned his serious concerns about prescription drug abuse and the Obama Administration's renewed emphasis on drug abuse prevention. World Forum Against Drugs -------------- ¶8. (SBU) On 8 December, Director had a lunch meeting with WFAD President Sven-Olov and Board Member Per Johansson. During lunch, Director Kerlikowske learned about efforts by Swedish NGOs to prevent and reduce drug use and plans by WFAD to hold the second World Forum Against Drugs from May 24-25 2010. The Director was also informed that GOS agreed to fund the conference and was invited by WFAD to give a keynote address. WFAD also invited the Queen (they believe she may be not available but will likely sponsor the conference) and UNODC Director Costa. Cannabis research, drug trends in sub-Saharan Africa, and the impact of adult drug abuse on children are the 2010 conference themes. Also mentioned was the newly launched WFAD Web site at www.wfad.se. Among other entries, it includes a holiday reminder to parents, teens, and families about the dangers of drug abuse from Director Kerlikowske. Interview with Swedish Radio -------------- ¶9. (U) On December 9, Director Kerlikowske provided an interview to Swedish Radio that mainly focused on the drug policy in Afghanistan. When asked if he agreed with Ambassador Holbrooke's recent statement that the previous drug policy in Afghanistan is one of the most ineffective ones in decades, Director Kerlikowske agreed that eradication had not been successful. Director Kerlikowske also stressed the importance of enabling the host country to deal with the drug situation on its own, stressing that corruption and government involvement in drug trafficking are highly problematic. Director Kerlikowske concluded with commending Sweden for its work to fight drugs domestically and internationally, including Swedish efforts in Afghanistan, and noted that whether the drugs end up in Europe or in the U.S., it is a joint fight. ¶10. (U) This cable has been cleared by ONDCP. BARZUN