Abstract
Analysis of the content of media messages, as an integral part of discourse analysis, is also used to identify predominant stories which shape public opinion about drug policy and substance use, influence the drug policy, and help us in gaining a better understanding of the process of its development. To find out about the media portrayal of cannabis and alcohol in relation to criminal activities.
Content analysis of media messages was selected as a method which made it possible to carry out systematic research into a great deal of media coverage. In order to conduct statistical analysis, it was necessary to encode the relevant messages using a system of operationalised ariables.
The original Manual for Coding of Media Messages, the development and testing of which were the main tasks of the project under implementation, was used for this purpose. A total of 8691 items presented by the Czech media were encoded into the database in 2007.
The media associate the use of cannabis with criminal activities.