Framing Youth Substance Use in Northern Ghana: An Environmental Scan of News and Social Media Discourses

ABSTRACT

Background: Youth substance use has become an emerging public health concern in Ghana, attracting heightened media attention. Yet there is limited scholarly analysis of how such coverage shapes public perceptions, stigma, and responses. This study examined how news and social media discourses frame youth substance use in Ghana’s northern region and how these framings influence community attitudes and youth experiences. Methods: Guided by Framing Theory, we conducted an environmental scan of 36 media items (17 news reports and 19 social media materials) to analyze dominant narratives surrounding youth substance use. Findings: Six framing patterns emerged: enforcement/crime, alarmist/crisis, moral/religious, health/treatment, development/socioeconomic, and prevention/empowerment. Overall, media portrayals tended to reinforce stigma rather than promote supportive or evidence‑informed solutions. Social media narratives were more moralistic and personalized, often depicting youth as both victims and agents of moral decline. In contrast, news media adopted a more institutional tone, positioning youth primarily as vulnerable individuals requiring protection. Conclusion: We argue for a narrative shift toward youth‑centred, non‑stigmatizing communication. Media platforms should incorporate inclusive language, highlight youth voices, and feature recovery and resilience stories to foster hope and support prevention and intervention efforts.

Keywords: Ghana, media framing, news and social media representations, public health communication, tramadol misuse, youth substance use