Seven out of 10 Filipinos believe that the number of persons who use drugs in their communities has decreased over the past year, a survey conducted by the Social Weather Stations said.
The nationwide survey fielded from Dec. 16 to 19 among 1,440 respondents found out that 66 percent said that the number of persons engaged in risky abuse of substances in their communities has decreased over the past year.
Fourteen percent said it has increased and seven percent said it has remained the same.
By area, the proportion of people who said there are less persons with drug addiction in their communities compared to last year was highest in Mindanao at 83 percent, compared to the six percent who said the number increased, and four percent who said it remained the same.
In Visayas, 71 percent said it decreased, 11 percent said it increased, and six percent said it remained the same.
In Metro Manila, 67 percent said it decreased, 22 percent said it increased, and eight percent said it remained the same.
In the rest of Luzon, 54 percent said it decreased, 18 percent said it increased, and eight percent said it remained the same.
By locale, 68 percent of those in rural areas said that the number of persons who uses drugs decreased, nine percent said it increased, and six percent said it remained the same.
In urban areas, 63 percent said it decreased, 23 percent said it increased, and nine percent said it remained the same.
Also in the survey, the SWS found out that 95 percent said it is important (percent very important plus percent somewhat important) for them that the police capture drug suspects alive (77 percent very important, 18 percent somewhat important) and five percent said it is not important (four percent somewhat not important, one percent not at all important). (Ellalyn V. Ruiz)