Views about cannabis have shifted considerably over the past two decades, with 41 per cent of Britons now supporting its legalisation - up from just 12 per cent in 1983. However, very few (eight per cent) endorse the view that adults should be free to take any drugs they wish, says the report into a study led by Nina Stratford of the National Centre for Social Research.
The opinions of some 1,000 people in England and Wales and 1600 in Scotland were surveyed. Attitudes towards heroin remain very negative with nine in ten believing it should stay illegal – the same proportion as in 1993.
Ecstasy is seen in a similar light, with again nine in 10 wanting it to remain illegal. Only seven per cent agree that ecstasy is not as damaging as some people think, and three-quarters believe that its legalisation would lead to an increase in addiction. The view that ecstasy is a 'soft' drug similar to cannabis has little public support.
Most people (86 per cent) support allowing cannabis to be prescribed by doctors for medical purposes. As observed in 1995 research, the young, more educated, professionals and Londoners are more liberal in their attitudes towards the drug.
Nina Stratford points out, however, that the increase in liberal attitudes is not confined to those groups. She said: "It is a society-wide phenomenon affecting all ages and social backgrounds."
Fewer people now think that cannabis is harmful or addictive or that it causes crime and violence. When asked which drugs are the most harmful to regular users, heroin, cocaine, tobacco and alcohol were top of the list.
By contrast, perception of the damage caused by heroin does not change. In fact, today more people link it with crime and violence than a decade ago.
Nina Stratford's research supports the notion that cannabis use is becoming accepted alongside drinking or smoking, particularly among young people, whether or not they partake themselves.
Two-thirds of 18-34 year-olds have a friend or family member who has used illegal drugs, half have tried cannabis themselves, and only a third think that cannabis should remain illegal. More than half (55 per cent) accept that using illegal drugs is a normal part of some people's lives – up from 41 per cent in 1995 – and even those young people who have never used cannabis are more liberal about its legalisation.
Attitudes to cannabis may have become more tolerant, but the research uncovered clear limits to peoples' tolerance. Researchers found that the idea of giving users clean needles was backed by nearly two-thirds of adults. Giving harm-reduction information to young people is also accepted by 55 per cent in Britain as a whole and 47 per cent in Scotland.
However, when it comes to prescribing drugs, people's attitudes are very restrictive. Nina Stratford said: "We found that very few people support allowing doctors to prescribe drugs for addicts – something which has been an established part of medical practice for almost a century."
For further information, contact: Nina Stratford on 020-7549-9574 (work), 020-8986- 8205 (home) or 078-1843-5906 (mobile) or e-mail: n.stratford@natcen.ac.uk or Lesley Lilley or Anna Hinds at ESRC, on 017-9341-3032/41-3119.
NOTES FOR EDITORS
1. The research report 'The Measurement of Changing Attitudes towards Illegal Drugs in Britain' was funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC). Nina Stratford is at the National Centre for Social Research, LONDON EC1V 0AX.
2. The ESRC is the UK's largest funding agency for research and postgraduate training relating to social and economic issues. It provides independent, high-quality, relevant research to business, the public sector and Government. The ESRC invests more than £76 million every year in social science and at any time is supporting some 2,000 researchers in academic institutions and research policy institutes. It also funds postgraduate training within the social sciences to nurture the researchers of tomorrow. More at http://www.esrc.ac.uk.
3. REGARD is the ESRC's database of research. It provides a key source of information on ESRC social science research awards and all associated publications and products. The website can be found at http://www.regard.ac.uk.
4. NatCen is the largest independent social research institute in Britain. It conducts social research among members of the public to provide information on a range of social policy issues in this country.