“Taking party drugs? For some people it might not seem like a big deal. But every purchase of drugs drives the gang problem we see in society.

Each year, the drug trade has a turnover of SEK 2.7–6.9 billion. Every year over 100 people die in Sweden in gang-related crimes. Many see drugs as “a fun thing” and don’t think much about the fact that one’s choice fuels gang crime. That in the worst case it leads to people losing their lives in crimes linked to drugs. But your choice about drugs matters a lot.

Gang-related crimes have recently increased in Sweden, and especially here in Kalmar, with three murders occurring in 2022. At the same time, it has become increasingly normalized to take party drugs. In a national information campaign by the police, party drugs were recently highlighted as a major financier of the gang problem. This is something that we in Kalmar municipality also want to emphasize.

We are doing this campaign to inform about the importance of our choices regarding drugs. Buying and using drugs means financing criminal networks.”

Find more from Kalmar kommun (Sweden, January 2023)