New Survey Reviews Americans' Perception of Opioid Crisis: China Viewed as a Significant Contributor, with Many Americans Holding the U.S. Most Responsible

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Sep 10, 2024, 09:00 ET

BROOMFIELD, Colo., Sept. 10, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- A new survey commissioned by PAX sapiens and conducted by YouGov provides a comprehensive look into American experiences with opioid overdose and the complex perceptions of accountability surrounding the synthetic opioid crisis in the United States.

A new survey commissioned by PAX sapiens and conducted by YouGov provides a comprehensive look into American experiences with opioid overdose and the complex perceptions of accountability surrounding the synthetic opioid crisis in the United States. This poll asked participants to describe in an open-ended way who they felt was to blame for rising opioid deaths in the United States. Analyses of these responses revealed that “drug” was still the most frequently used term as expected.

Following National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan's recent diplomatic trip to Beijing, this survey lands at a pivotal moment in the U.S.'s engagement with China. With ongoing geopolitical negotiations and domestic pressures further complicating the discourse surrounding accountability for the U.S. opioid epidemic, this survey seeks to better understand how the crisis is perceived, particularly in relation to China's role as both a contributor and potential partner in addressing the crisis.

The survey finds that while many Americans see China as a contributor to the opioid crisis, Americans overwhelmingly view the U.S. federal government as primarily responsible for addressing it.

"This poll reveals the complexity of the synthetic drug crisis in America and how that complexity drives perceptions," said Daniel Baldwin, Director of Joint Action on Drug Enforcement project at PAX sapiens.

Key Findings:

1. Opioid Crisis Exposure:

Nearly one-third (31%) of respondents reported knowing someone who died from opioid overdoses or knowing someone who knew someone who died. Of these, 59% personally knew someone who had died due to an opioid overdose.
Middle-aged individuals are more likely to know someone who died from an opioid overdose, while personal overdose experiences are most common among those aged 33 and under.
New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia reported the highest opioid exposure, with the Northeast most impacted.

2. Attribution of Accountability:

The majority (51.2%) believe the U.S. federal government is primarily responsible for addressing the opioid crisis. State and local governments are seen as responsible by 20.1%, with no other entities receiving more than 7% of responses.
Nearly half (49%) of respondents see China as a significant contributor to the opioid crisis, though only 11% view China as the most responsible.
When asked to identify who is to blame for the opioid crisis, respondents distributed blame across several actors, including the users themselves, the U.S. federal government, pharmaceutical companies, doctors, and international entities such as China and Mexico. When asked to select a single group most responsible other than users, criminal cartels were most frequently identified followed by pharmaceutical companies and the federal government.

3. Perceptions of China:

A general skepticism towards China is evident, with 61.4% holding a negative view.
Attributing the opioid crisis to China is linked to a decline in Americans' favorable opinions of the country. Those with limited or no direct experience with China are more likely to blame China for the opioid crisis. Conversely, individuals with direct experience in China are less inclined to attribute blame.
Younger generations (born between 1991 and 2010) and Black and Hispanic respondents are less likely to view China as responsible compared to older and White respondents.

Methodology: The poll, which surveyed 3,000 American adults, explores how personal exposure to opioids shapes attitudes towards various entities, including China.

About PAX sapiens

PAX sapiens is a private foundation established by Giving Pledge members Marcel Arsenault and Cynda Collins Arsenault. PAX sapiens' mission is to prevent predictable global catastrophes through the creation of new systems of collective coordination that promise a more peaceful world. Work currently focuses on three specific preventable catastrophic risks. These are preventing global pandemics, preventing armed conflicts between the US and China, and preventing the use of nuclear weapons.

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SOURCE PAX sapiens