NEWS MEDIA FRAMING SETS PUBLIC-OPINION THAT DRUGS IS THE COUNTRY MOSTIMPORTANT PROBLEM

Responses by the public to the question of whether drugs was the Unite d States' most important problem ranged from under 5% to over 60% duri ng the 9 years from 1985 to 1994. Time series analysis showed that cha nges in this opinion could be explained by the press describing drugs as a crisis. Other types of drug discussion contributed negligibly. In the reverse direction, public opinion about drugs was a weak but sign ificant contributor to press coverage.