A rise in drug use and public support for more severe punishment for drug abuse were revealed during the VCIOM-Sputnik survey.
MOSCOW, June 26, 2017. The Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VCIOM) presents the results of a survey devoted to the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking.
The opinions about the probem of drug abuse have not changed much over the recent years: the problem moved from being a social issue to the medical sphere. Thus, today 45% of Russians consider the drug addiction is a disease that needs treatment (31% in 2014). Fewer respondents regard the problem as a social disease (28% vs 37%) and feel threatened by the drug addicts than several years ago: the share of those who support the idea to isolate them from society has decreased from 28% to 21% (men (25%), persons aged 60 and over (26%), residents of Moscow and St. Petersburg (28%) give more categorical answers than women, youth and rural area residents).
Only 3% of respondents abstained from expressing an opinion saying that everybody has a right to do what he/she wants; this share is small (6%) even among those who personally know someone who is taking drugs. Every second respondent (52%) says that the number of drug addicts has increased; only 18% consider that the number has reduced.
An overwhelming majority of respondents (93%) are confident that any substances classified as drugs should not be available for purchase like alcohol or tobacco. Six percent of Russians support legalization of “soft” drugs. However, this share exceeds 10% among the 18-24-year-olds (12-13%), residents of metropolitan area (14%) and those who know personally drug addicts (12%).
As to measures aimed at combating drug abuse, more than three-quarters of Russians support criminal punishment (78%): across all social and demographic groups this percentage exceeds 70%, excluding Moscow and St. Petersburg (60%).
Twelve percent of respondents report to know someone who is taking drugs among relatives and friends.
The Medialogia Company analyzed the mentions of the “drug abuse” topic on the federal television and in press over the recent five years. More than 5,000 mentions were found; most of them are dated 2012 (1,300 mentions).
The VCIOM-Sputnik Russian nationwide survey was conducted on June 20-21, 2017, using stratified dual-frame random sample based on a complete list of landline and mobile phone numbers operating in Russia, and involved 1,200 respondents. Russians aged 18 and over took part in the survey. The data were weighted according to selection probability and social and demographic characteristics. The margin of error at a 95% confidence level does not exceed 3.5%. In addition to sampling error, minor changes in question wording and different circumstances arising during the fieldwork can introduce bias into the survey.
Results for the 2014-2016 studies are based on household surveys.
The Russian media monitoring and analysis is carried out by the Medialogia Company using the Medialogia database of 41,200 sources such as television, radio, newspaper, magazines information agencies and online media. The period of study was January 1, 2012 – December 31, 2017.
What is your attitude toward drug addicts? (closed-ended question, one answer, %) | |||||
| 2004 | 2005 | 2010 | 2014 | 2017 |
Drug addiction is a disease, and those people need medical help | 29 | 37 | 36 | 31 | 45 |
Drug addiction is a social problem; what should be treated is society itself | 37 | 30 | 32 | 37 | 28 |
Drug addicts are dangerous people; they should be kept in isolation | 26 | 25 | 24 | 28 | 21 |
Drug use is a private affair; I do not condemn those people | 6 | 7 | 5 | 3 | 3 |
Don’t know | 2 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 3 |
What is your attitude toward drug addicts? (closed-ended question, one answer) | ||||
| Total respondents | Those who know someone who uses drugs | Those who probably know someone who uses drugs but are not sure about that | Those who do not know anyone who uses drugs |
Drug addiction is a disease, and those people need medical help | 45 | 38 | 44 | 47 |
Drug addiction is a social problem; what should be treated is society itself | 28 | 29 | 35 | 25 |
Drug addicts are dangerous people; they should be kept in isolation | 21 | 20 | 14 | 23 |
Drug use is a private affair; I do not condemn those people | 3 | 6 | 4 | 2 |
Don’t know | 3 | 7 | 3 | 3 |
In your opinion, has the number of drug addicts in Russia increased, decreased ad stayed at the same level over the recent years? (closed-ended question, one answer, %) | ||||
| Total respondents | Those who know someone who uses drugs | Those who probably know someone who uses drugs but are not sure about that | Those who do not know anyone who uses drugs |
The number has increased | 52 | 68 | 48 | 50 |
The number has remained the same | 13 | 11 | 14 | 14 |
The number has decreased | 18 | 15 | 23 | 18 |
Don’t know | 17 | 6 | 15 | 18 |
There is a point of view that soft drugs are not harmful, could be made available and used like tobacco or alcohol. Do you agree with that or not? (closed-ended question, one answer, %) | ||||
| 2004 | 2010 | 2014 | 2017 |
Rather agree | 9 | 7 | 7 | 6 |
Rather disagree | 85 | 90 | 89 | 93 |
Don’t know | 6 | 3 | 4 | 1 |
There is a point of view that soft drugs are not harmful and can be available and used like tobacco or alcohol. Do you agree with that or not? (closed-ended question, one answer, %) | ||||
| Total respondents | Those who know someone who uses drugs | Those who probably know someone who uses drugs but are not sure about that | Those who do not know anyone who uses drugs |
Rather agree | 6 | 12 | 7 | 5 |
Rather disagree | 93 | 88 | 91 | 94 |
Don’t know | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 |
Do you approve or disapprove criminal penalties for drug abuse? (closed-ended question, one answer, %) | ||||
| Total respondents | Those who know someone who uses drugs | Those who probably know someone who uses drugs but are not sure about that | Those who do not know anyone who uses drugs |
Rather approve | 78 | 76 | 73 | 79 |
Rather disapprove | 20 | 20 | 26 | 18 |
Don’t know | 2 | 4 | 1 | 3 |
Do you know anyone taking drugs among your friends and relatives? (closed-ended question, one answer, %) | |||||
| 2004 | 2005 | 2010 | 2014 | 2017 |
Yes, I know | 13 | 10 | 12 | 11 | 12 |
No, I do not know anyone | 73 | 76 | 68 | 68 | 68 |
Maybe there is someone, but I know nothing about that | 13 | 12 | 19 | 19 | 20 |
Refusal to answer | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
Note: Using materials from the site www.wciom.ru or wciom.com, as well as distributed by VCIOM, the reference to the source (or hyperlink for the electronic media) is obligatory!