Abstract
Using a true experimental design, the study aimed to examine general attitudes towards illegal drug use and addiction in a general population. A sample of 257 male (115) and female (140) participants with a mean age of 26.26 (SD = 11.48) completed an online questionnaire which measured drug-related knowledge, attitudes and beliefs, general attitudes towards drug use and community support. Statistical analysis found the following results; general attitudes towards recreational drug use and addiction were significantly less positive than attitudes towards drug abstinence. Community support was significantly lower for recreational drug users and drug addicts than drug abstinent individuals. Younger participants reported more positive attitudes towards recreational use and less positive attitudes towards abstinence, higher knowledge of someone with a drug problem and greater support for policy change than older participants. There were significant relationships found between support for policy change, attitudes towards drug use and attitudes towards drug users.
