The emerging public discourse on state legalization of marijuana for recreational use in the US: Analysis of news media coverage, 2010-2014.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

US states have begun to legalize marijuana for recreational use. In the absence of clear scientific evidence regarding the likely public health consequences of legalization, it is important to understand how the risks and benefits of this policy are being discussed in the national dialogue. To assess the public discourse on recreational marijuana policy, we assessed the volume and content of US news media coverage of the topic.

Method

We analyzed the content of a 20% random sample of news stories published/aired in high circulation/viewership print, television, and Internet news sources from 2010 to 2014 (N=610).

Results

News media coverage of recreational marijuana policy was heavily concentrated in news outlets from the four states (AK, CO, OR, WA) and DC

SUBMITTER: McGinty EE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6983281 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature