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23 Crim. Just. Pol'y Rev. 3 (2012)

handle is hein.journals/cjpr23 and id is 1 raw text is: Articles Criminal Justice Policy Review 23(1) 3-17 Exploring General and 21 AEPbiain x ,,or, n © 20,2 sAGE Publications Reprints and permission: http://www. Specific Attitudes Toward sagepu..../jo.... sPermissi ... DOI: I10.1I177/0887403410389807 Drug Policies Among htp://cp.sagepub.com College Students $SAGE Tammy S. Garland', Vic W. Bumphus', and Sara A. Knox' Abstract Numerous studies have focused on issues dealing with students' attitudes toward drug use. Although these studies have examined attitudes toward drug use, there has been little research focusing on drug policy attitudes. Although some research has been conducted on attitudes of students and professionals regarding criminal justice policies, the literature has not directly addressed the perceptions of students regarding specific drug policies in the United States. Using data collected from 294 students enrolled at a southern university, this study examined criminal justice/legal studies majors' and nonmajors' perceptions regarding current drug policy and demographic factors influence these perceptions. Findings revealed little variation in overall attitudes among the two study cohorts; however, college major emerged as a significant predictor of more tolerant marijuana attitudes. Keywords drug policy, marijuana, attitudes Introduction and Review of Literature The war on drugs has been waging for more than three decades, and the possibility of an end seems unattainable. Current, punitive arrest and incarceration policies have placed an inordinate number of individuals under the control of the criminal justice system. Moreover, the United States continues to spend billions of taxpayer dollars 'The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Corresponding Author: Tammy S. Garland, 615 McCallie Avenue, Department 3203, Chattanooga, TN 37403 Email: Tammy-Garland@utc.edu