150
The Thoughts of the Youth in
Turkey on Drug-fighting Policies*
Copyright © 2017
Republic of Turkey Ministry of Youth and Sports
/
Journal of Youth Researches • April 2017 • 5(1) • 150-158
ISSN 2147-8473
Received
| 06 March 2017
Accepted
| 09 April 2017
Abstract
Analysing the use of drugs and emerging public policies in the struggle against this problem, which
has become an important issue today and having a serious impact on the future of society, has vital
importance in terms of determining the inadequacies in practice and putting more effective policies
into effect. However, there is no adequate public policy analysis conducted in this field in Turkey. The
main purpose of this study is to identify and analyse the level of awareness among young people
(18-24 years) in the fight against drug use in Turkey. The questions require answers in the following
areas are as follows: How much information do young people have about drugs? What is the aware-
ness level and the perceptions of the young people about the measures taken and the public policies
adopted in this respect? How many public institutions operating in the question are known by young
people? The analysis is a quantitave one, applying survey method. A fully structured questionnaire
was used as a data collection tool in the survey. After completing the application phase of the study,
the data in the questionnaire forms with consistent responses were coded and loaded to the SPSS
16.0 program and then the analysis phase started. The empirical findings of the paper consist of
the fieldwork carried out by the research project titled “Social Perception in Turkey’s Policies on the
Fight Against Drugs” in the Framework of Public Policy Approach, supported by Necmettin Erbakan
University, Scientific Research Projects Coordination Office. In this context, in order to be more suc-
cessful in fight against drug use, it is necessary that the existing public policies should be explained
to the youth/citizens and the level of awareness of the citizens should be raised in this regard.
Keywords:
Drug, Public Policy, Perception, Turkey, Youth.
E X T E N D E D A B S T R A C T
*
The empirical findings of the paper consist of the fieldwork carried out by the research project titled “Social Perception
in Turkey’s Policies on the Fight Against Drugs” in the Framework of Public Policy Approach, supported by Necmettin
Erbakan University, Scientific Research Projects Coordination Office.
** Prof. Dr., Necmettin Erbakan University, Faculty of Social and Humanities, Department of Political Science and Public
Administration,
*** Asst. Prof. Dr., Necmettin Erbakan University, Faculty of Social and Humanities, Department of Political Science and Public
Administration,
**** Lecturer, Düzce University, Akçakoca Vocational School,
Veysel Babahanoğlu****
Erhan Örselli***
Önder Kutlu**