Public opinion and legal status of marijuana in Australia

FRANÇAIS :
Les auteurs utilisent un large éventail de résultats de sondage d'opinion pour montrer que les attitudes envers la marijuana n'ont pas changé depuis les dix dernières années bien que des données récentes montrent qu'une part croissante de l'opinion publique se montre favorable à une réforme du statut légal de la marijuana. Il y a des différences notables d'opinion entre les groupes socio-démographiques. Les auteurs prétendent que cette réforme pourrait devenir un enjeu politique.
ENGLISH :
Since the late 1950s, when the medical use of heroin was banned in Australia, government policy toward marijuana has been based on prohibition. Despite an upsurge in the use of marijuana in the 1960s, government policy has remained virtually unchanged, except for the introduction of the expiation notice in South Australia in 1986. The authors use a wide range of opinion poll data to show that attitudes toward marijuana have remained stable over the past two decades, although the most recent data suggest that public support for reform of the legal status of marijuana may be increasing. There are notable differences in opinion between sociodemographic groups, with men, the young, and those who have been exposed to marijuana being more likely to support reform. The authors argue that as more people who have been exposed to marijuana enter the electorate and as New Politics issues become more prominent, the legal status of marijuana could become a political party issue. Data collected during the 1990 federal election among election candidates suggest that the potential for political party conflict already exists. (Authors abstract)