THE SWISS POPULATION AND THE PROBLEM OF D RUG-ABUSE - PERCEPTION OF THE PROBLEM AND PROPOSALS FOR SOLUTIONS

The aim of this study is to investigate which problems in relation wit h drug abuse are considered to be the most important by the Swiss popu lation and which measures do they support to reduce them. Base for thi s study are the results of a representative telephon survey realized i n october 1991 with 1004 Swiss residents. People are mostly concerned with problems related to the danger for youth and those concerning pub lic order but also with the human condition of addicts. Drug addicts a re considered as people who have lost the sense of live, as sicks but also as dangerous and less truthfull. Supported are overall prevention , offers for therapies, the repression of trafficking and money-launde ring but not of drug users as well as measures going in the direction of harm-minimisation (shooting rooms, medical prescription of drugs). Younger people, those with higher education and the germanspeaking pop ulation have a more positive view of drug addicts and support measures in the sense of harm-minimisation. Elder people and the frenchspeakin g population have a rather negative view of drug addicts and don't fav our measures for harm-minimisation.