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8

C H APT E R

Establishing

a Healthy

Drinking Culture

Systembolaget—Alcohol

Monopoly and Public Health

in Sweden

Karin M. Ekström and Lena Hansson

The European Union (EU) has lately recognized that alcohol consumption is a
major social problem causing health problems, crime, and deaths. Alcohol is
considered the fifth leading risk factor for death and disability in the world
(WHO, 2008). Sweden has had a restricted view on alcohol policy for a long
time, with high taxes on alcohol, an alcohol retail monopoly to limit accessibil-
ity, and harsh drunk driving laws. The Swedish alcohol retail monopoly,
Systembolaget, is discussed in this chapter with a focus on two campaigns aim-
ing to increase the number of Swedes who support it, as part of an integrated
communication assignment.