title: Attitude of the Norwegian population to drug policy and drug-offences.
abstract: A national survey on people's conceptions of various intoxicants and their attitudes towards such substances shows a high degree of support in Norway for the current very restrictive drug policy. Only 6% were in favour of a more liberal practice with regard to use of cannabis. The attitudes had changed little from 1968, when a similar study was carried out. Even a majority of those who reported having used cannabis themselves said that all use should be prohibited. A comparison of the crime of possessing quite a small quantity of cannabis with other commonplace violations of the law showed that the drug offence was considered a serious crime. Although the penalties for drug offences have been raised dramatically several times since the end of the 1960s, a majority still said that the punishment prescribed by the Norwegian law for being involved with drugs is too mild.
authors.affiliation: National Institute for Alcohol and Drug Research, Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Skretting
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D004335:Drug and Narcotic Control; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D013287:Illicit Drugs; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009664:Norway; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs; D011639:Public Opinion; D011640:Public Policy; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology
chemical_list: D013287:Illicit Drugs; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs