A survey of the British public's attitudes towards drug dependence

Aims To determine the attitude of the British public towards people with drug dependence and their treatment. Design A postal quota survey of the British public was performed to determine attitude towards people with illicit drug dependence and treatment policies. Results Respondents disagreed with the idea that 'drug addicts' have a mental illness and regarded them as untrustworthy, deceitful and unreliable. Clinical implication Respondents had a stigmatized view of 'drug addiction', although they may be more sympathetic to the concept of an individual 'drug addict'. However, they did not have strong views concerning professional treatment decisions, including child protection issues.