Norway is arguably the most progressive country in the world and is way ahead of every other country on most policies, from gun control and healthcare to climate change, but alcohol and marijuana is one area where it is far behind.
Norway decriminalized marijuana use (if 15 g or less) in 2017, and it is legal for medical use, but practically nobody gets a prescription for it, so it might as well not be. It’s extremely difficult to get a prescription, and most doctors know very little about it and will be hostile towards those seeking treatment with medical marijuana. Possessing marijuana, even if it’s 15 g or less, will still result in a fine that’ll end up on your criminal record. Marijuana is still illegal for non-medical use. ([Source](https://normalnorge.no/english/))
Even struggling countries like the US have legalized marijuana in most states, being legal for recreational use in 18 and medical use only in 19, leaving only 13 states where it’s illegal for all use. But recreational use of marijuana is not legal anywhere in Europe.
Norway killed the drug reform policy last year, diminishing a lot of the hope left, and illicit drug use is still a criminal offence. So anybody possessing illicit drugs, whether it’s marijuana or more dangerous drugs, will still, in most cases, face jail time and get it on their criminal record. Norwegian police forces are strongly against decriminalizing drugs, as they believe it will hamper with their investigations. ([Source](https://www.dianova.org/opinion/the-norwegian-drug-policy-reform-is-dead-but-the-movement-has-grown/))
Norway is also extremely conservative regarding the sale of alcohol compared to many other developed countries, including the US. Alcohol above 4.7% ABV has to be sold in one government-owned retailer, which can only be open until 18:00—or 16:00 on Saturdays. Norway is also among the countries with the highest alcohol sales tax in the entire world, at 25%, only second to Hungary at 27%, making alcohol in Norway more expensive than everywhere else in the world.
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Why is Norway so backwards, and conservative, when it comes to drug use and the sale of alcohol? I’m aware that there’s still growing movements for decriminalizing use of illicit drugs and legalizing marijuana for recreational use, but it doesn’t seem like the policy is going to change anytime soon. Norway is, in many ways, a government of compromises, where sometimes, conservativeness gets its way as long as Norway stays a progressive society. And whilst Norway is extremely progressive in many ways, it’s hard to argue that Norway doesn’t have a lot of room for change.
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What is “backwards” depends entirely on a subjective idea of what direction you want to go. Norway has free health care and a lot of social wealthfare programs. But there is also an acceptance that to maintain these programs there needs to be regulation to ensure public health is high. Regulating access to drugs (alcohol or narcotics) is just one part of that.
We like to take our time with big changes. As a result we may be some years behind on several areas, but damn its an effective way to keep the country some what stable. Slow process is fast progress!
Certain medication have given the US a huge drug problem:
– *”In the late 1990s, pharmaceutical companies reassured the medical community that patients would not become addicted to opioid pain relievers and healthcare providers began to prescribe them at greater rates.”*
– *”Increased prescription of opioid medications led to widespread misuse of both prescription and non-prescription opioids before it became clear that these medications could indeed be highly addictive.”*
– *”In 2017 HHS declared a public health emergency and announced a 5-Point Strategy To Combat the Opioid Crisis”*
https://www.hhs.gov/opioids/about-the-epidemic/index.html
So I’d rather have our health authorities be a bit “late”, and have caution, than ending up with a similar situation as in the US.
>gun control
*rolls eyes in handguns*
I’m a responsible gun owner, but the authorities have not checked my activity *once* in five years. Both my husband and I have had gun permits lost in the mail or received them with the wrong gun registered.
And this is for handguns/competition shooting, there is even less control when it comes to hunting. Gun ownership is super common in Norway, get your hunting permit and buy a shitload of rifles and shotguns.
Pistols and revolvers are a little more regulated on paper (until you get them) because they are *scary.*
Does “progressive” in this context mean more gun control?
If it does, we’re not far “ahead” of anyone and there are many countries out there with WAY stricter gun laws.
From my experience the police focus on drug sellers and smugglers, they dont hunt down the well known users in the street. There are also systems for free rehabilitiation.
Your claim that drug abusers only cause harm to themselves is wrong in my opinion. Drug abuse ruins families, causes theft to get money for drugs, and costs the government a lot of resources in health services.
People have very different views on this, so it’s nice to have discussions. I’m pro medical use of marihuana, but the way I see it, legalizing recreational use will just be another drug causing harm and working as a gateway to harder drugs. People like to compare it with alcohol, but alcohol is already a huge problem itself and would likely be an illegal drug like others if it was introduced today
ever thought of thats the reason why we are one of the most progressive countries in the world?
KRF usually sits on the political fulcrum and we don’t have a booze, drugs or sex formal political compromises in part because the positions of Labour and The Right aren’t close enough to make that formal compromise effectual.
Weed or alcohol is not healthy for anyone, so it need to be controlled. Access needs to be restricted.
Norways strick laws for marjuhana and alcohol makes people use them less. Less drugs = a healthier society. That is good.
I personaly limit my alcohol usage because it’s so damn expensive. Pretty sure im not alone in doing that.
Why do you consider gun control progressive, but alcohol control conservative? Alcohol does massive damage to society, and Scandinavians have a strong culture for heavy use. I have a high consumption myself, but I don’t mind the tax. It helps pay for the extra healthcare needed, and other damages people do. High taxes is often considered progressive (especially in the US), so why not specifically to alcohol? And the opening hours is not a problem at all when you are used to it. Neither is the government store really. Since they are such a huge importer, they get really good prices from the producers, so certain products aren’t even that expensive.
I consider myself very progressive, and I fully support legalization of cannabis. But I also like the restrictive alcohol-politics. Now, this is based on a notion that it prevents some alcohol abuse, but I have no idea if this actually is true. So; if our restrictive policies is negligible for negative alcohol consequences (drunk driving, violence, overdosing, frightened kids ++) we should be less restrictive, but if it does prevent harm I’m absolutely OK with it.
I’m not that pessimistic about drug reform becasue now Høyre, Venstre, MDG, SV and Rødt all is pretty supportive of it. When AP comes around before next election 2025 (don’t think it will be a big issue in local election in 2023) it will only be FrP and SP which are against it. FrP has some strong “libertarian” and “individualistic” tendencies, so they might change. I don’t see SP and KrF change though, but none of that will matter if FrP or AP sees the light 🙂
Complete legalization will probably take at least another cycle or two, but I think after a drug reform legalization will quickly catch on as well 🙂
Culturally, norwegian society is kind of puritan/protestant influenced
Mostly down to a very conservative attitudes towards drugs among politicians, police and a the boomers here.
I remember in school when we had these “say no to drugs” seminars with police and guest speakers. The message was always the same nonsense “if you try cannabis you are going to end up on the streets shooting heroin”
In fact, the whole culture in Norway surrounding drugs and alcohol is pretty shitty and old fasioned. In the more rural areas (which is most of Norway) you’re seen as some alcoholic degenerate if you enjoy a couple of beers before a workday, but getting completely shitfaced on Saturday? Completely fine
Are we behind on alcohol laws? I would claim the opposite. It shouldn’t be possible to buy alcohol on gas stations…
Marihuana is one thing (I don’t do it, and don’t see the need for it in our society, but maybe it wouldn’t cause too much harm in regulated forms.) but what *other* drugs ar you referring to?
It’s just the public opinion. And as we know for most public opinions, they’re just based on rumors, speculation, and no facts at all. You can compare it to the acceptance of nuclear power. The number say it’s one of the safest and environmentally friendly energy sources in existence, and it alone could save the world from energy crisis, but 2 accidents destroyed the public opinion and have been hyped up to seem like apocalyptic events and kept snowballing to the point that everyone’s afraid of it. Same with drugs in a well mannered country like in Norway. Public opinion is low, and not based on facts
Even though marihuana is not technically legal, it’s pretty normalized in Oslo at least. Police doesn’t even give a shit as long as you look older than 20 and dont carry large dosages.
I am pretty certain that by the time our generation starts being politicians, it will be legalized.
>Norway is arguably the most progressive country in the world…
I would argue that Norway is far from being “the most progressive country in the world”, so your entire premise fails from the start. The idea that we’re very progressive in Scandiavia is an American myth – yes, we’re way ahead on you in some areas like welfare and healthcare… but that, I believe, has more to do with the US falling behind the rest of the developed world than with us pulling ahead.
Norwegian gun laws isn’t particularly strict, but we do arguably have a better (read:safer) gun culture than the US. According to Wikipedia, [we’re #17 when it comes to firearms per capita](https://www.wikiwand.com/en/Estimated_number_of_civilian_guns_per_capita_by_country).
We chooses to restrict access to alcohol, because we know fully well that unrestricted access would result in a much heavier load on the health- and welfare systems (traditional Norwegian drinking culture can be summarised in one word; binge). Also note that the Vinmonopol isn’t uniquely Norwegian; it is more a Scandinavian thing. Iceland has their Vínbúð, the Finns must go to Alko to get their vodka, while in Sweden you must find a Systembolag if you want beer stronger than 3.5%.
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>…it’s hard to argue that Norway doesn’t have a lot of room for change.
No argument there, but you can say that about any country on this planet.
When it comes to alcohol use it has actually helped alot with alcohol related damages and so on. I think we are progressive by restricting it. We can plan how mutch we need, and buy within the time limits. We don’t need to be able to buy it anytime everywhere. When it comes to cannabis we are less progressive. It has basicly become a politcal fight here, I guess a way to collect the votes who are unsure. But it is a political fight now, and i recon it won’t take that many years before it is legal, at least medicinal.
if it aint broke why fix it
Old moral sentiments.
Although I do agree with the laws regulating alcohol (and tobacco), since it is one of our most harmful drugs. I may not like the inconvenience, but I do understand it.
Vinmonopolet is an extremely progressive solution. You give the state monopoly so they can account for all revenue, and re-invest the revenue (yes form the high taxes, that’s the whole point) into schools, healthcare, treatment for alcoholics, etc.
It’s also the *perfect* system for trialing state monopoly of other substances, such as cannabis. I really hope that in the next 10-15 years there will be a cannabis section next to ‘French wines’ in Vinmonopolet.
I think you would find most people think of the alcohol regulations as a positive. You mention gun regulation as something progressive and beneficial, most Norwegians feel the same for alcohol.
This is also what is wanted for marijuana, nobody wants a capitalistic free-for-all. But rather a government-controlled system like Vinmonopolet. This way gradient and purity can be controlled whilst also really capping funding for criminal networks.
To explain Norway. If you took all our political parties and placed them in the American Gradient of red and blue, you would see that even our most conservative parties are strongly in the blue. I think the problem is how distanced our politicians are from drugs and bad shit in the world. They almost feel like a protected class who grew up in a suburban facility. So it ain’t gonna change until we get some new ones.
Well progressive works🙃
Is OP an American? Just curious.