The drug issue has dominated criminal policy in Sweden for decades with an influence on penal legislation, police resources, and prison populations. The question can also be raised if the drug issue has influenced the general criminal policy. An analysis is undertaken of the changes in criminal policy since the 1960s in terms of penal legislation and purpose, means of coercion, interventionist policies, view of offender, the development of prisons, and other fields of change. The parallel development between criminal policy and drug policy is quite clear. It is also argued that the drug policy in various ways seems to have influenced the general development of the criminal policy. Abstract published by arrangement with Taylor and Francis.