Poll: Canadians See Drug Offenses as Illness, Not Crime

This is an older AngusReid Poll, but deserves a re-post.

Canadians See Drug Offenses as Illness, Not Crime
February 01, 2007

(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Many adults in Canada believe prevention and treatment should be the main focus when dealing with drug users, according to a poll by Innovative Research Group released by CanWest News Service. 65 per cent of respondents think the consumption of illegal drugs is an illness, while 35 per cent consider it a crime.


Polling Data

Do you think the best approach to drug abuse is...

Treat the use of illegal drugs as an illness and
focus on prevention and treatment for addicts - 65%

Treat the use of illegal drugs as a crime and get
tough on enforcement of drug laws among addicts - 35%

Stephen Harper and the Conservatives stated during parliamentary debate of Bill C-15 that Canadians "told them" Mandatory Minimum Sentencing is what they want. This poll paints a different picture of majority belief, does it not?

Source: Innovative Research Group / CanWest News Service
Methodology: Online interviews with 2,938 Canadian adults, conducted from Jan. 8 to Jan. 15, 2007. Margin of error is 1.8 per cent.