There is a strong need for continued substance abuse prevention and intervention in Marshall County. The number of diverted prescriptions and illegal drugs, overdoses, thefts, arrests, court cases, and medical/financial consequences of drug abuse continue to negatively impact a large number of families in the community. To address the variety of substance abuse issues impacting our community, the Marshall County Cooperative Extension Service partnered with the Youth Service Center (YSC) and other local agencies to organize their first Truth and Consequences: The Choice is Yours for the 8^th graders at South Marshall Middle.  The co-chairs of the program were the Marshall County YSC Coordinator and County 4-H Youth Development Agent.

Truth and Consequences is an enrichment activity designed to show students the impact of getting involved with illicit and legal substances. Based upon the format of the 4-H Reality Store, students role-played scenarios including possession of prescription drugs, driving under the influence, sniffing, possession of alcohol, drug paraphernalia, or illegal drugs, trafficking, stealing drugs, etc. Depending on the scenario, students visited appropriate officials and/or agencies to experience the consequences of their behavior. This year’s event was possible with a wide variety of community partners including Marshall County schools, Health Department, Sheriff’s Department, Assistant County Attorney, Retired District Judge, County Hospital, Department of Juvenile Justice & Court Workers, County Jail, local ministers, County Coroner, ASAP, and Regional Prevention Center. 

Representatives from local businesses, students’ parents, Marshall County 4-H Volunteers, the County FCS Agent, and County 4-H Program Assistant served as “parents” to the youth and accompanied them as they visited the various agencies such as law enforcement, judges, school officials, hospital, and coroner. 184 students participated in Truth & Consequences: The Choice is Yours to learn more about the physical, legal, financial, and emotional consequences of substance abuse. Eighty community partners and adult volunteers participated in the event as well. 

Student evaluation results revealed the following: 

• Majority of the youth indicated minimum usage, but majority felt there was no risk or just a slight risk with 1-2 drinks of an alcoholic beverage
• Youth were almost split when it came to risk assessment of smoking cigarettes (62 with no or slight and 94 with moderate or high) and risk levels using smokeless tobacco (64 with no or slight and 90 with moderate or high); 
• 42 out of 158 youth identified slight or no risk of marijuana with usage; 
• 98 indicated a great risk of usage when taking prescription medicine without a doctor’s prescription to get high; 
• 129 youth noted it was very wrong to use hallucinogenic drugs;

As a result of participating in Truth and Consequences: The Choice is Yours, 140 SMMS 8^th grade students indicated they had a better understanding of the legal, health, and emotional consequences of substance abuse. 132 noted a better understanding of the financial consequences 140 the harm & risk of substance abuse. 138 reported if they had a substance abuse issue, would be able to access help in the community.

A need for parent education and support is evidenced by the fact that 74 out of 154 responding had not talked to parents/caregivers about the dangers of substance abuse during the past 12 months. Feedback received from community partners and 8^th grade parents since Marshall’s Truth and Consequences provides evidence these conversations are happening as a result and will hopefully continue. With the growth of the opioid addictions and other substance uses on the rise, substance abuse prevention efforts will be needed in the foreseeable future. Marshall County Extension Service will continue to provide such educational opportunities when possible.