Police Officer Attitudes toward Marijuana: A Descriptive Analysis

Abstract

The attitudes of a major metropolitan police force were surveyed with regard to their beliefs about marijuana; especially, their beliefs about the effects of marijuana, the enforcement of laws for possession, and the causes for marijuana use. The results indicated that most officers felt marijuana was harmful (physically as well as psychologically) but not necessarily more so than alcohol; 31% believed that possession of small amounts (<1 oz) should be decriminalized, and 85% did not believe that current laws for possession of small amounts were being actively enforced; most officers felt that peer pressure is the main reason why people start to use it and that youthful users and their parents are not well informed about its effects. The officers' rank, educational level, and whether or not they had children were also significantly related to marijuana beliefs, suggesting important demographic factors which determine acceptance of current drug law changes.