Though the public thinks highly of both interdiction and arresting dealers, when forced to choose, stopping drugs before they reach this country wins out as the most effective approach. Whites, on the other hand, have more faith in the relative effectiveness of arresting drug dealers than do African-Americans. This debate aside, nearly half of both black and white respondents agree that drug interdiction would work better than any other approach. Younger Americans are also more optimistic about the effectiveness of drug education. Young people are the least convinced of the effectiveness of interdiction.
Religion also plays a role in how people view the drug war.
Evangelical Protestants tend to be less optimistic about drug education programs than mainline Protestants, and evangelicals are more supportive of a government emphasis on interdiction. Seculars are the most likely to believe drug education would be the most effective approach to solving the drug problem. Although the public favors government action to stop drugs from entering the country, it is highly skeptical toward providing financial assistance to drug-producing countries. The public is split over the question of providing military assistance to countries to help them fight drug trafficking. Support for removing the penalties for minor possession has remained steady since the 1980s, and is down slightly from the 1970s.