Is Cannabis a Medical Issue, a Policy issue, or a Criminal Issue? A Framing Analysis of Cannabis for Therapeutic Purposes (CTP) in Israeli Newspaper Coverage

• In Event: Communication About Drugs and Medication

Abstract

Cannabis for Therapeutic Purposes (CTP) has become a topic of increasing public interest and debate worldwide, particularly in Israel, where demand for, and provision of licenses for CTP has increased substantially since 2007. News media framing of CTP may influence public perceptions and public opinion regarding CTP policy. We conducted a content analysis of all news items related to CTP (N=208) published in three Israeli national news sources from January 2007 through June 2013 to examine how this issue is framed in Israeli news coverage. This study examines three principal frames for CTP: a medical frame, a policy frame, and a law enforcement frame. Each frame was associated with a distinct pattern of textual elements, including sources cited, portrayal of patients, and whether cannabis was described as a drug or as a medicine. The most common frame for CTP in news coverage during this period was the policy frame.

Authors

• Nehama Lewis, University of Haifa

• Sharon Rodner Sznitman, U of Haifa

• Doron Broitman, U of Haifa