News

Students take a stand against substance abuse

By Bill Moss, Published: March 18, 2015

Six high schools in Henderson County are joining to stand up against substance abuse in a week devoted to raise awareness right before spring break.

Students from Hendersonville, East Henderson, West Henderson and North Hendersonville high schools, Balfour Education Center and Henderson County Early College attended a meeting of the Board of Commissioners Wednesday to show support for 'We Are Hope Substance Abuse Awareness Week' March 30-April 3. Commissioners adopted a resolution supporting their effort.
Centers for Disease Control statistics show that in North Carolina among young people under age 13, 15 percent had tried smoking, 8.5 percent tried chewing tobacco, 14.3 percent had tried alcohol, 22 percent had smoked pot and 17 percent had taken prescription drugs without a doctor's prescription.
"This is really a life or death situation," Julie Huneycutt, of HopeRx, a communitywide effort aimed at raising awareness of prescription drug abuse.