Should We Legalize Marijuana?: The Media’s Role in Shifting Public Support for Legalization Team Ganja

Public Opinion Trend

Why Should We Care? New high of 46% of Americans in favor (Gallup, 2010) New high of 46% of Americans in favor (Gallup, 2010) Majority support a reality? Majority support a reality? 1960s-1970s: 8 out of 10 Americans opposed 1960s-1970s: 8 out of 10 Americans opposed 70% of Americans support medical marijuana 70% of Americans support medical marijuana Legal Implications, Effects on public policy Legal Implications, Effects on public policy California’s Proposition 19 California’s Proposition 19 Adoption of medical marijuana laws Adoption of medical marijuana laws Tax revenue Tax revenue

15 Medical Marijuana States & D.C. Alaska Alaska Arizona Arizona California California Colorado Colorado DC DC Hawaii Hawaii Maine Maine Michigan Michigan Montana Montana Nevada Nevada New Jersey New Jersey New Mexico New Mexico Oregon Oregon Rhode Island Rhode Island Vermont Vermont Washington Washington

Theoretical Foundations 1.Framing Broad organizing principles used to structure a news story Broad organizing principles used to structure a news story Power of language to shape thought Power of language to shape thought 2.Cultivation Level of TV viewing impacts beliefs about the world Level of TV viewing impacts beliefs about the world TV makes some ideas more accessible TV makes some ideas more accessible

Framing Medical: Medical: “allow seriously ill patients suffering from severe chronic pain to use medical marijuana” (Arkansas) “allow seriously ill patients suffering from severe chronic pain to use medical marijuana” (Arkansas) Under a doctor’s supervision Under a doctor’s supervision available to be prescribed by a doctor available to be prescribed by a doctor Economic: Economic: Tax purposes and financial reasons Tax purposes and financial reasons To address budget deficits To address budget deficits Economic collapse Economic collapse

Nancy Reagan’s Just Say No Campaign

Cultivation Shows with recurring positive portrayals of marijuana Shows with recurring positive portrayals of marijuana The Simpsons (1989) The Simpsons (1989) South Park (1997) South Park (1997) That 70’s Show (1998) That 70’s Show (1998) Family Guy (1998) Family Guy (1998) Sex and the City (1998) Sex and the City (1998) Entourage (2004) Entourage (2004) Weeds (2005) Weeds (2005) Californication (2007) Californication (2007) Eastbound and Down (2009) Eastbound and Down (2009)

Family Guy 2009

Our Prediction Correlation between the news frame and public approval Correlation between the news frame and public approval Correlation between date and # of articles; More articles about the issue in recent years Correlation between date and # of articles; More articles about the issue in recent years More economic frames following U.S. financial collapse More economic frames following U.S. financial collapse

Methodology Newspaper articles in LexisNexis Database Newspaper articles in LexisNexis Database Search terms: marijuana legislation Search terms: marijuana legislation Randomly coded 320 of 993 articles from U.S. and Canada Randomly coded 320 of 993 articles from U.S. and Canada Economic vs. Medical frames Economic vs. Medical frames Year of publication Year of publication

Reliability Agreement # of content coded % of agreement Alison-George Alison-Gill Alison-Kristie George-Gill George-Kristie Kristie- Gill Total

Content Analysis Results

Content Trend of Framing Economic peaked between Economic peaked between Canadian press influence Canadian press influence Increase in 2008 recession Increase in 2008 recession Majority of framing post Majority of framing post- 2000

Question Wording Q1: In order to reduce the pain and suffering of patients, would you favor making marijuana legally available for medical purposes? Q1: In order to reduce the pain and suffering of patients, would you favor making marijuana legally available for medical purposes? Q2: In order to address the loss of tax revenue for states, would you favor making marijuana legally available for economic purposes? Q2: In order to address the loss of tax revenue for states, would you favor making marijuana legally available for economic purposes?

Survey Results Strongly Favor – 4 Favor – 3 Neutral – 2 Oppose – 1 Strongly Oppose - 0

Survey Results

Discussion Framing does seem to have an effect on public approval of marijuana legalization Framing does seem to have an effect on public approval of marijuana legalization Medical frames have an even stronger effect Medical frames have an even stronger effect human compassion human compassion Evidence of a causal relationship from the experiment Evidence of a causal relationship from the experiment

Summary Increasing positive portrayals of marijuana in entertainment media impacted the public’s perception and helped make the issue newsworthy Increasing positive portrayals of marijuana in entertainment media impacted the public’s perception and helped make the issue newsworthy The legalization of medical marijuana has provided a stepping stone for legalization in general, and the current economic state helps legitimize the argument The legalization of medical marijuana has provided a stepping stone for legalization in general, and the current economic state helps legitimize the argument If the trend continues at a steady pace, changes in legislation may be made in the near future If the trend continues at a steady pace, changes in legislation may be made in the near future