Nitro Fired Up Over Smoking Ban

Nitro, W.V., might leave Kanawha County's health department over a smoking ban.

At issue is whether the Tri-State Racetrack and Gaming Center should be exempt from the anti-smoking regulation, which was enacted by the Kanawha-Charleston Health Department. Nitro says yes; the health department, not so much.

Nitro's plan would switch the entire county from a split between Kanawha and Putnam, which is the case now, to placing the city completely into the Putnam County health department.

1-on-1 Interviews

Community organizing is about getting "real people" involved and mobilized, not creating staff driven initiatives. Our Coalition is currently working on a new endeavor in order to raise awareness about our community’s issues regarding youth access to alcohol. In order to find out the views of those who live and work in Marshall county, Coalition members are conducting a series of one-on-one conversations about youth access to alcohol through the Communities Mobilizing for Change (CMCA) curriculum. If we talk with community members who have some expertise and concerns about youth drinking and sales, the Coalition will gain a better understanding for what the community's concerns are, and what has been done thus far regarding the issue.

If you would like to participate in these one-on-one interviews, or if you would like to become a part of the Marshall County Anti-Drug Coalition and its efforts to reduce substance abuse in our community, please contact us. We eagerly anticipate hearing from and working with you!

Myths vs. Stats in Marshall County

DID YOU KNOW...?

Myth: Underage drinking is not an issue in our community.

Fact: 6.2% of Marshall County elementary students, 12.8% of Marshall County junior high students, and 36.2% of Marshall County high school students reported using alcohol monthly. The age that most Marshall County students first used alcohol: elementary age 10, junior high age 11, and high school age 13. (West Virginia State Police, 2001-2003; Pride Survey, 2005)

Myth: When young people underage drink, they drink at their friends’ home.

Fact: Those Marshall County students who reported that they drink alcohol indicated that they most commonly consume it in their own home on the weekends.

Myth: Youth want their parents to provide alcohol at their parties so that the youth will be perceived to be “cool” by their peers.

Fact: According to data obtained from Gold, Khourey, & Turak’s “Booze, Cruise, and You’ll Lose” program, 56% of juniors and seniors at Cameron High School, 64% of John Marshall High School students, and 75.5% of Bishop Donahue High School students think that it is NOT okay for a parent to host an underage party, with alcohol, for their child.

Myth: Most adults do not permit or condone underage drinking.

Fact: At a preventing underage drinking forum held at John Marshall High School in December 2005, it was revealed 74.64% of adult respondents to a household survey administered throughout Marshall County indicated that underage drinking is a "RITE OF PASSAGE."