Biomedicalization and Alcohol Research in Sweden

Abstract
Historically, Swedish alcohol policy has been strongly influenced by the temperance movement; yet, by a very narrow margin, a rationing system, known as the Bratt system, was created instead of formal prohibition in 1917. This chapter describes how alcohol research has been funded in Sweden from 1990-2003 in terms of its disciplinary emphases and compares it to what has been found in the US Unlike the US, alcohol research in Sweden is funded by many agencies including multiple public as well as private sources. Sweden’s entrance into the EU and national concerns alcohol policy as an EU member may be a major impetus for more research being funded that focuses on alcohol policy and alcohol treatment. Sweden is undergoing significant changes in its restrictive alcohol policy—a change that will no doubt have major consequences on the harms and problems associated with increases in alcohol consumption.