When Aftonbladet did tests inside the Riksdag chancelleries’ toilets, there were traces of cocaine in half of the cases.
It came as no surprise to Leif GW Persson, who believes in drug testing.
– That would certainly deter them, he says.
The drug tests in the Riksdag were conducted by Aftonbladet this week and the results hit like a bombshell: Four out of eight Swedish Riksdag parties had traces of cocaine in their own toilets. It was the Liberals, the Social Democrats, the Sweden Democrats and the Left Party.
– It did not come as a surprise. If you’re going to say something nice, it needs to mean that it’s members of parliament who have stood there and pulled a line, says Leif GW Persson in Nyhetsmorgon.
GW: “I think the opposite”
After all, there are many people who have access to the toilets in addition to members of the Riksdag, so even if GW admits that the result does not necessarily mean that it is the politicians who abuse cocaine, he does not consider it too incredible.
– Are you asking me: Can I completely rule out that any member of the Riksdag has sat at work and snorted? Of course I can’t. I think the opposite, there are certainly a number of them who abuse this drug, says criminologist Leif GW Persson.
He says that he believes that there are about ten members of parliament who consume drugs.
Good idea with drug tests
But the finding does not lead to any preliminary investigation.
– It is not possible to link to individuals and then the possibility of prosecution falls away. Prosecutors and police suddenly have a hopeless investigative situation, says Leif GW Persson.
On the other hand, there were many parties that slammed their fists on the table and the Sweden Democrats demanded that everyone in the Riksdag be drug tested.
– It is worth considering whether you should take yourself seriously, including what you tell citizens how to behave. Then you have to submit to drug tests. In many workplaces it is like that. It would perhaps be a good measure, it would certainly deter them, says Leif GW Persson.