Americans Want Tougher Drug Laws, Poll Finds

WASHINGTON —  The American public favors tougher anti-drug laws and periodic drug testing for people from all walks of life, according to a Gallup Poll released Monday at the White House.

People are so disturbed that three-fourths of all teen-agers and nearly half of adults are ready to volunteer to help in drug prevention programs, education and treatment, said George H. Gallup, co-chairman of the Gallup Organization.

“A record number of Americans cite the drug crisis as the nation’s top problem, replacing the ‘guns and butter’ issues of international tensions and economic worries,” he said at a news conference also attended by William J. Bennett, the national drug policy director.

“In the 50 years that the U.S. public has been asked to name the most important problem facing the nation, it is virtually unprecedented for any social issue to appear at the top of the list,” Gallup said.

Bennett, who will in a few weeks release the Administration’s strategy to combat the drug crisis, said the poll shows that “the American people have given a very clear sense of direction to us.”

In the poll, taken in June and July, 27% of the adults questioned selected drugs and drug abuse as the most important problem facing the country. Eight percent put poverty, homelessness and hunger at the top; 7%, the economy in general, and 6% each for the federal budget deficit and the environment.

“Fear of War,” the category listed the most worrisome by 27% of adults in 1985 and 23% in 1987, was listed first by only 4% in the new survey.

Next came crime, inflation, other economic problems and a decline in morals, each with 3%, then abortion, unemployment, the trade deficit and dissatisfaction with government, at 2% and quality of education, 1%. Other problems were listed by 12% of the adults, and the rest said they had no answer.

Teen-Age Concern

Drug abuse was listed by 32% of teen-agers as the most important problem facing the country, ahead of fear of war, 14%; economic issues, 13%; environment and pollution, 7%; political issues 6%; AIDS, 5%; crime, 3%; abortion, 2%, and alcohol abuse 1%. Nine percent of the teen-agers listed other concerns and the rest said they didn’t know.

For the poll, Gallup did telephone interviews with 1,005 adults and 500 teen-agers. The poll had a margin of error of plus or minus four percentage points for the adults and six percentage points for the teen-agers.

“The 54 years of scientific polling have shown in times of crisis such as war, the public is willing to make great sacrifices to the public good,” said Gallup. “In key ways today, the American people are in a wartime mode and sense a national emergency in the drug crisis.”