Alcohol, Drugs, Prevention and the Marion Area

Results of a Summer 2004 survey of many Marion area residents included:

  • 65% agree or strongly agree that the community has a responsibility to set up prevention programs to help people avoid problems;
  • 43% indicated that it is never okay for parents to offer alcohol in their home;
  • 74% of Marion area residents indicated that alcohol use by teens is a moderate or serious problem;
  • 73% strongly or somewhat favor law enforcement spending more time enforcing the minimum drinking age.

Alcohol, Drugs, Prevention in the Marion Area

Survey Results Show Community Interest in Prevention

This is the first in a series of articles.

Approximately 600 people in the School District of Marion received a survey in Summer 2004 on their beliefs and opinions about drugs and alcohol in the community.  Nearly 250 of you responded, providing the Marion Area Coalition for Healthy Communities and the Marion Area Family Resource Center with valuable information.

For instance, 84% of those who responded indicated that prevention programs are a good investment because they save money and lives.  This supports what the Coalition has already been doing, including working with the school to put more prevention curriculum in place in K-12.  Two-thirds of those who responded indicated that public service announcements are a good way to change attitudes about alcohol and tobacco use.  The Coalition has not placed much effort around public service announcements, and this information could mean that more effort should be placed in this area.

Here are some other key findings:

  • Approximately three-fourths of respondents support law enforcement spending more time enforcing laws prohibiting sales of tobacco to teens and enforcing minimum drinking age laws;
  • 5% of respondents indicated they support situations in which parents find out their teen drank alcohol and tell the teen to use alcohol carefully land not let it interfere with schoolwork;
  • 30% indicated they often or very often see adults drunk in public;
  • Nearly 50% believed that it is not at all or only a little difficult to get an older person to buy alcohol for them;
  • Nearly 20% are quite or very willing to volunteer time to a prevention program;
  • 29% indicated that the community is not interested in changing, no matter what the issue is.

In the upcoming issues of The Marion Advertiser, the Coalition will be presenting this and other information in short articles.  Please watch for the articles and let us know what you think.  For more information, contact Trinitie Wilke at 754-2491 or trinw@frontiernet.net.

In the upcoming issues of The Marion Advertiser, the Coalition will be presenting this and other information in small articles.  Please watch for the articles and let us know what you think.  For more information, contact Trinitie Wilke at 754-2491 or trinw@frontiernet.net.