The effect of cultural factors on preferences for national drug policy: An international perspective

Purpose. The subject of this study is to conduct empirical analysis of the preferences for drug policy from a sociological perspective in general, and using theoretical model of culture conflict theory in specific. The purpose of this study is to identify and describe culturally oriented causal factors that influence one's drug related policy preferences.;Methods. This research conducted a survey among a group of international criminal justice professionals with a variety of cultural background. A series of culturally oriented variables were measured using instruments developed by earlier studies and tested against their attitudes toward three previously identified drug policy orientations. Statistical tests will be conducted to (1) establish correlations between cultural factors with attitudes toward different drug policy orientations; (2) build prediction models for each of the three drug policy orientations.;Findings. (1) Cultural characteristics of individual do have a significant impact on the choice of different policy orientations. (2) The value that favors equality in society (Horizontal orientations) leads to more support for remissive policy on drugs, while the value that focus on morality and spirituality (religiosity) tend to oppose such policy. On the other hand, the value that favors hierarchical social arrangement (Vertical orientations) leads to more support for legalistic policy on drugs, while the value that opens to multicultural coexistence (social distance) tend to oppose such policy. This observation is consistent with the general propositions of cultural conflict theory. (3) The difficulty of accepting Harm Reduction and Decriminalization policy orientation we observed among policy makers as well as the general public does not lie in the cost-effective calculation of such policies, but lies in the fact that drug use, instead of been deemed as a public health issue, is still considered by the majority as fundamentally a moral issue.