Coalition

Marshall County Anti-Drug Coalition

The Marshall County Anti-Drug Coalition and the FRN have been on the front lines fighting to raise awareness of substance abuse in Marshall County.  The coalition was developed in 2003 when a group of Marshall County citizens recognized the need to combat substance abuse and rallied together to take action.  Comprised of concerned citizens and representatives from local law enforcement agencies, businesses, schools, and non-profit agencies, the Anti-Drug Coalition collaborates with various sectors of the county to help keep the community safe and drug free. 

The coalition’s mission is to implement comprehensive, long-term strategies to reduce substance abuse among Marshall County residents, particularly youth, on a sustained basis. The coalition’s vision is to build a safe and healthy drug-free community as a result of its efforts. The coalition is committed to changing community attitudes and norms regarding alcohol, tobacco, marijuana, and other drugs.

 The coalition is divided into three branches:

  • Policy
  • Outreach
  • Youth

Important initiatives:

  • Substance abuse prevention education
  • Implementation of state and local policy change
  • Retailer education
  • Communities Mobilizing for Change on Alcohol (CMCA)
  • Mass Media Campaigns
  • Partnerships with local law enforcement agencies
  • Partnerships with local youth-driven substance abuse prevention groups

The coalition has made a lasting mark not only in Marshall County but also in WV legislation.  The coalition with the help of the FRN worked for two years to revise state law to increase the penalties associated with underage alcohol use, which had previously proved ineffective and unjustly lenient compared with penalties for similar underage offenses. Members of the FRN and MCADC discussed these issues with State Senator Jeffrey Kessler, who subsequently introduced a bill to re-categorize underage drinking from a status offense to a delinquency offense. The entire bill did not pass as originally written. However, through un- wavering effort and further collaboration from the FRN and Senator Kessler, the bill was revised, reintroduced, and swiftly passed by the State Legislature on April 11, 2009, becoming law in July 2009.

The FRN does not govern the coalition but rather serves as the fiscal agent.

Contact the Anti-Drug Coalition Coordinator Jon Lewis: jon.lewis@marshallcountyfrn.com

New PSA "Not Everyone Is Doing It" to combat underage drinking

Our previous PSA designed to curb underage drinking

Our previous binge drinking commercial