05 February 2013, 050213, bike helmets, Government regulation, recreational drugs, seatbelts in cars, smoking in public
Q. Do you approve or disapprove of Governments making laws to regulate the following?
|
Total approve |
Total dis |
Strongly approve |
Approve |
Dis |
Strongly dis |
Don’t know |
Total approve 30 Apr 12 |
|
| Wearing seatbelts in cars |
97% |
2% |
77% |
20% |
2% |
* |
1% |
97% |
| Wearing bike helmets |
92% |
6% |
68% |
24% |
5% |
1% |
2% |
94% |
| Personal use of recreational drugs |
64% |
27% |
34% |
30% |
12% |
15% |
10% |
59% |
| Smoking in public places |
72% |
25% |
46% |
26% |
13% |
12% |
3% |
67% |
| Buying and consuming alcohol |
73% |
21% |
31% |
42% |
15% |
6% |
5% |
69% |
| Shopping hours |
56% |
35% |
17% |
39% |
25% |
10% |
9% |
56% |
| Cigarette packaging |
67% |
27% |
40% |
27% |
14% |
13% |
6% |
64% |
| Junk food advertising |
71% |
24% |
31% |
40% |
16% |
8% |
4% |
66% |
| Gambling, poker machines |
73% |
23% |
40% |
33% |
13% |
10% |
4% |
na |
| Films (i.e. censorship) |
61% |
31% |
20% |
41% |
21% |
10% |
8% |
62% |
| The internet |
53% |
38% |
18% |
35% |
22% |
16% |
8% |
49% |
| Making public statements which other people might find offensive |
41% |
44% |
13% |
28% |
26% |
18% |
15% |
na |
For each of the areas listed above more than half of respondents approved of Governments making laws to regulate the area – with the exception of “making public statements which other people might find offensive” (41% approve/44% disapprove).
The highest levels of approval were for wearing seatbelts in cars (97%) and wearing bike helmets (92%). The highest levels of disapproval were for making public statements which other people might find offensive (44%), the internet (38%) and shopping hours (35%).
Since this question was asked in April last year approval of regulation has increased for personal use of recreational drugs (+5%), smoking in public places (+5%) and junk food advertising (+5%).