Every tenth Russian considers drug abuse as a private matter for each individual rather than a social problem.
MOSCOW, September 29, 2010. Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VCIOM) presents the data describing how serious, Russians think, the drug abuse problem is, and what are solutions to the problem.
As two decades ago, the drug abuse problem is regarded to be serious for most of Russians (96%, in 1998 - 93%). Residents of all regions of Russia equally attach importance to this problem (91-99%), excepting Far Easterners (82%). Only 2% believe that drug abuse is not an actual problem for Russia (17% of Far Easterners).
The drug problem is of great importance both for those who have friends abusing drugs (96%), and for those who do not have such friends (97%).
The public opinion on how the drug problem should be solved has been changed over the recent years. In 2004 respondents thought that is was a social phenomenon, and it was the society that should have been treated (37%); in 2005 most of Russians reported that basically the assistance was required for drug addicts (38%). For the time being both positions are competing (32 and 36% respectively). Every fourth believes that the drug addicts are dangerous and they should be isolated from the society (24%). Those who think that drug abuse is a private matter of each individual and do no blame anyone for that are in the minority (5%).
Respondents who believe that drug abuse is a disease and people should be treated are basically metropolitan residents (46%) and 35-44-year-old Russians (44%). Those who consider this problem to be social are rural area residents (36%) and 45-59-year-old respondents (36%). Those who have the most radical solution - to isolate drug addicts from the society - are mainly elderly respondents (33%) and those who do not have friends who abuse drugs and those who knows about it for sure (25-26%). Respondents aged 18-24 (11%) and those who have drug addicts among friends (15%) are tolerant towards people who abuse drugs.
The initiative Russian opinion polls were conducted on July 17-18, 2010. 1600 respondents were interviewed at 140 sampling points in 42 regions of Russia. The margin of error does not exceed 3.4%.
In your opinion, is drug addiction a serious problem for Russia? (close-ended question, one answer) | |||
| 1998 | 2000 | 2010 |
Very serious problem | 72 | 74 | 73 |
Quite serious problem | 21 | 22 | 23 |
Not very serious problem | 4 | 1 | 2 |
No problem at all; the problem is blown up by mass media | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Hard to tell | 2 | 3 | 1 |
In your opinion, is drug addiction a serious problem for Russia? (close-ended question, one answer) | ||||
| Total respondents | I have friends who abuse drugs | I do not have friends who abuse drugs | I am not sure if I know friends who abuse drugs |
Very serious problem | 73 | 72 | 75 | 68 |
Quite serious problem | 23 | 24 | 22 | 27 |
Not very serious problem | 2 | 3 | 2 | 3 |
No problem at all; the problem is blown up by mass media | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Hard to tell | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
What is your attitude toward people who abuse drugs? (close-ended question, one answer) | |||
| 2004 | 2005 | 2010 |
Drug abuse is a private matter for individuals; I do not blame such people | 6 | 7 | 5 |
Drug abuse is a disease, and those people need help | 29 | 38 | 36 |
Drug addiction is a social problem, and what is to treated is the society itself | 37 | 30 | 32 |
Drug addicts are dangerous people; they should be isolated from the society | 26 | 25 | 24 |
Hard to tell | 1 | 1 | 2 |
What is your attitude toward people who abuse drugs? (close-ended question, one answer) | ||||||
| Total respondents | Age | ||||
Aged 18-24 | Aged 25-34 | Aged 35-44 | Aged 45-59 | Aged 60 and above | ||
Drug abuse is a private matter for individuals; I do not blame such people | 5 | 11 | 7 | 5 | 3 | 3 |
Drug abuse is a disease, and those people need help | 36 | 32 | 38 | 44 | 35 | 33 |
Drug addiction is a social problem, and what is to treated is the society itself | 32 | 32 | 33 | 31 | 36 | 28 |
Drug addicts are dangerous people; they should be isolated from the society | 24 | 22 | 20 | 17 | 26 | 33 |
Hard to tell | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 |
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!