SEAMOS Campaign, "Be Tough on Drugs"

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The SEAMOS Foundation launched the "Be Tough on Drugs" campaign, aimed at raising awareness amongst the Bolivian population on the negative effects of drug abuse and trafficking within the country, encouraging people to make a stand against this behaviour.

The public-opinion poll was carried out in La Paz, Santa Cruz, Cochabamba, El Alto, Oruro, Trinidad and Tarija between April 3 and 10, 1998. According to the results of the poll, 91 per cent of those interviewed believe that drug abuse and trafficking pose a problem for the country; 53 per cent are aware of the Bolivian Anti Narcotics Strategy 1998 - 2002; 54 per cent consider that the coca leaf is neither sacred nor traditional; 70 per cent feel that the growing of coca damages the country and 82 per cent support either the voluntary or forceful eradication of coca plantations and are in favour of law enforcement.

Among the conclusions of the study, it was found that the population believes that drug use is responsible for violence in society, is harmful to health and is a destructive element for youth and the family.

Of those interviewed, 75 per cent believe that Bolivia is in danger of becoming a country of drug users; 42 per cent think that corruption has increased with the drug trade and 75 per cent fear that the corruption generated by the drug trade will directly affect their families. 90 per cent of those interviewed believe that the drug trade and drugs destroy the values of Bolivian society. Furthermore, 89 per cent believe that the drug trade damages the environment.

According to the poll, 27 per cent believe that coca leaf eradication is a means of beating the drug trade; 19 per cent believe that the, population need to be taught and informed; 69 per cent pledged in favour of compensation for the eradication of coca plantations; but nearly 70 per cent of those interviewed were not in favour of compensation if this money were to come from taxes.

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