What is the importance of the media in the medical cannabis sector?
The media (also known as the MEDIA) are considered the 4th power, along with the legislative, executive and judicial powers, since the emergence of newspapers, radio and television in the 20th century. According to mass communication theories, the media influence the decisions taken by society and have the capacity to shape public opinion. It is also the MEDIA that determines which issues or countries receive the most attention in the news.
Information about cannabis in the mainstream media is, for the most part, biased, distorted and based on prejudices. This perpetuates misinformation. Therefore, the cannabis press is increasingly playing a key role in the fight against stigma and lack of credible information, as it promotes literacy about the plant and its uses.
Journalists are like mediators, bridging the gap between science, politics, economics and society, deconstructing complex issues in a language that ordinary people can easily understand. Thus, specialised media take on a leading role in the medical cannabis sector, as it is too complex a subject to be limited to the general press, which usually does not have the time or knowledge to delve into most cannabis-related topics.
Laura Ramos, Executive Editor at Cannareporter – Cannareporter.eu
