Drug Users as Social Change Agents: Increasing but Limited Possibilities in Sweden

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Jessica Storbjörk, Ph.D., is a sociologist at the Centre for Social Research on Alcohol and Drugs (SoRAD) at Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden. Jessica has been engaged in quantitative and qualitative research into social aspects of alcohol and drug use, problems, and treatment since 2000. Her work has mainly focused on a client perspective: on substance users’ reasons for entering treatment; coercion and social control; the marginalized position of substance users in terms of poor social situation, poor housing, and weak social networks; clients’ experiences of treatment and contacts with societal institutions/authorities; and clients’ reasons for changed use following treatment. She has also conducted studies of homelessness and organizational changes in the treatment system and served as the guest editor of a thematic issue on treatment systems research in the Nordic Studies on Alcohol and Drugs (issue no. 6, 2010). Jessica is presently analyzing the legislated rights and obligations of Swedish citizens with a special emphasis on the social rights of substance users.