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Current Advocacy Efforts

Prevent Coalition has a vision of a healthy, thriving community free of the effects of substance misuse. To achieve such a mission, it takes the individual actions of community members. Our role as a community coalition is to educate and empower community volunteers to get involved.

The 2022-23 Washington State Legislative Session has begun. Below is a list of policy priorities provided by WASAVP (Washington Association for Substance misuse And Violence Prevention).

  • Adequately support community-based substance use and violence prevention.
  • Reduce access/supply to minors of cannabis, alcohol, vaping products, and tobacco.
  • Promote health and safety in communities and education settings.
  • Support efforts to reverse increasing percentage of alcohol and drugs in traffic crashes.
  • Support efforts to reduce use/demand for cannabis, alcohol, vaping products, and tobacco by minors.
  • Support efforts to develop and support therapeutic courts to support community-based treatment.

We encourage you to establish a connection with your elected officials all year-round even outside of legislative session, and share your voice for matters important to you.

Previous Advocacy Efforts

We empower youth during an annual Youth Advocacy Training, to educate on how to “Use Your Voice” and educate decision makers on matters important to them.

Prevent and the Rural Network hosts annual meet & greets with lawmakers and policy 101 trainings provided by Prevention Voices, WA.

In 2020, we educated decision-makers on the incredible investment prevention offers a community. We shared outcomes, initiatives, and stories from our local community.

From 2016-2019, we primarily educated decision makers on substance use issues in relation to raising the legal age to purchase tobacco. We shared what youth experience in their communities and what the data around youth behaviors shows. In March 2019 Washington State Legislature passed legislation to raise the legal age to purchase Tobacco products to 21.

Each year we attend Prevention Policy Day in Olympia, helping youth share their stories and insight with legislators. We discuss how prevention adds value to a community and what we’re able to accomplish with our grant funding. We also host an annual Youth Advocacy Training to prepare youth to effectively meet with legislators.

 

What’s the difference between advocacy and lobbying?

Policy change is a major focus of community coalitions. We know that changing laws, regulations, and policies will have a major effect on creating healthy communities. We also know everyone has a voice, a unique perspective and a moral obligation to share it with decision-makers.

Coalition members may not lobby on specific bills or policy when using the coalition’s federal funding. Members can however advocate for changes in policy, including activities such as speaking with legislators in order to educate about a specific issue concerning prevention, or to bring attention to issues concerning the community the coalition serves.

There are lots of nitty-gritty details about what constitutes lobbying verses advocacy work, but this should never stop us from doing the work necessary to update and change legislation to better our communities. Sharing stories, what’s happening in your community and local data educates decision-makers and is encouraged as a prevention practice.

Video Archive

 

Legislation 101: Online Training Series:

 

Add your voice to community based prevention efforts:

 

CADCA

Foundation for Healthy Generations (Healthy Gen) is a statewide advocacy group that empowers community partners with policy resources, education materials, and legislative updates. Visit their website for tools, lessons, legislative summaries, and more. 

CADCA

CADCA is a national educational and advocacy coalition for substance prevention that supports over 650 coalitions across the county. Connect to your elected officials through CADCA. 

WASAVP

WASAVP is recognized as the lead voice for state and national advocacy in matters of substance abuse and violence prevention for Washington State. WASAVP financially through membership to support state lobbying and educational materials. You can also sign up for their free online newsletter with Action Alert items to make public comment on proposed state legislation.

WASAVP

WLCB oversees the implementation of rules, licensing, and enforcement of alcohol and marijuana in Washington State. The WLCB website has multiple updates, a mailing list and email address (rules@liq.wa.gov) for direct comment.