[The approach to illegal drugs in the Galician press: analysis of 1696 news].

OBJECTIVE

To conduct an analysis of the communication related to illegal drug use, along with its framing and thematic approach, in Galicia's main newspaper during 2022.

METHOD: A search was conducted for all news published in the newspaper in 2022 that referenced cocaine, heroin, cannabis, and other illegal drugs. A series of variables was collected for subsequent descriptive analysis. According to their content, the news was classified into five categories: police and judiciary, traffic, health, fiction and people. In the health and people categories, a qualitative analysis was conducted to assess the content and message orientation of the news (positive, negative, neutral, ambiguous).

RESULTS

A total of 1696 news was included, with those about cocaine (40.4%) predominating, followed by cannabis (32.4%). The main news category was police and judiciary. Message orientation showed differences between health and people categories.

CONCLUSIONS

Drugs are mostly presented to society from a punitive and stigmatizing perspective, with a focus on police and judicial news. News on drugs with a public health focus is scarce and consultation with experts is anecdotal. The use of a greater number of complementary sources of information and contact with specialists would enable a more balanced reporting approach.