09-04-2025
Substance Abuse & Awareness Workshop hosted in Fayette County
OAK HILL, WV (WVNS) – More than 100 guests made their way out to Oak Hill's New River Convention Center on Tuesday for an educational workshop on substance abuse awareness and prevention hosted by the Fayette Prevention Coalition and Community Connections.
In addition to presenting pertinent information on detection and prevention of substance abuse in younger members of the community, the event featured guest speaker Jermaine Galloway, an internationally recognized authority on drug and alcohol prevention and education.
A former law enforcement officer, Galloway has taken his message of prevention across the nation and beyond through his nonprofit organization, Tall Cop Says Stop. During Tuesday's workshop presentation, Galloway noted that while Fentanyl remains a vital threat, community members should also be aware of more accessible substances finding their way into the hands of community youth.'He made the point that there is a lot of focus on the Fentanyl crisis because there is death and destruction right in front of us,' said Community Connections Partnership for Success Coordinator, Heather Green of the presentation. 'However, there is a whole fire behind us and that would be referring to those other substances.'
Drug-Free Communities Program Director, Suzanne Wood stressed the importance of prevention early on as a means of circumventing issues later in life.'It's important because 90% of addiction begins in the teen years,' said Wood. 'The more we can prevent drug use from starting, the less we have to spend in the treatment of that drug – whether it is monetary or time.'
Drug-Free Communities Project Coordinator, Amanda Withrow tells 59News that the workshop drew attendance from individuals from a variety of backgrounds, all of whom were united in a collective hope to gain further insight on the substance abuse epidemic impacting the region.'We also had people from different sectors: the schools – the Board of Education, for instance – law enforcement, health departments, parents, teachers, and government officials. So it was a great turnout. We're really pleased,' said Withrow.
Those concerned with substance abuse among the youth at the local level are encouraged to get involved and to utilize resources made available by local organizations like the Fayette Prevention Coalition.
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