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Attitudes to drug law enforcement

17 Sep 2012

Q. Do you have a close friend or relative (such as a sibling or child) that regularly uses, or regularly used, illegal drugs? 

 

Total

Yes

17%

No

81%

I’d prefer not to say

2%

Seventeen percent (17%) of respondents polled have a close friend or relative that regularly uses, or used, illegal drugs.  The vast majority did not (81%) and 2% elected not to say.

Q. How would you describe the approach to drug law enforcement in Australia:

 

Total

Have a close friend or relative

No close friend or relative

Vote Labor

Vote Lib/Nat

Vote Greens

Too harsh

8%

18%

6%

12%

4%

23%

Too soft

62%

47%

66%

57%

73%

26%

About right

18%

24%

17%

22%

15%

30%

Don’t know

11%

11%

12%

10%

8%

21%

The majority of respondents regard drug law enforcement in Australia to be too soft (62%), followed by 18% who believe it to be about right and 8% who see it as too harsh.

Those with a close friend or relative that regularly uses were far more likely to regard drug law enforcement as too harsh (18%) or about right (24%).

Looking at the results by voting intention, Greens voters were the most likely to regard drug law enforcement as too harsh (23%) whilst Coalition voters were by far the most likely to believe it to be too soft (73%).

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