NCJ Number
137376
Journal
Gallup Report Issue: 288 Dated: (September 1989) Pages: 2-11
Date Published
1989
Length
10 pages
Annotation
Surveys of representative samples of adults in the United States and Colombia revealed divisions in both countries in public attitudes toward current drug law enforcement policies and the "War on Drugs."
Abstract
Both surveys were conducted in September 1989 using telephone interviews. The United States survey gathered information from 1,238 adults, while the Colombian survey gathered information from 512 adults in the cities of Bogota and Medellin. Results revealed that, while feeling personally threatened by drugs and the violence associated with drug trafficking, many Colombians question whether their government's recent crackdown on the cocaine dealers will benefit the country in the long run. Most Colombians also see demand for illegal drugs in the United States as the major source of the problem and are resentful of United States pressure on their government to reduce the supply. Americans now cite drugs as the nation's most important problem, but have no consensus regarding whether focusing on drug suppliers is the best way to address the problem. In addition, in his eighth month in office, President Bush is more popular than his recent predecessors at similar points in their terms. Tables