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Students take a stand against drug use

Student leaders stand to express support for 'We Are Hope,' a campaign in the schools against substance abuse.

Students from Henderson County middle and high schools are taking a stand against drug abuse.

Students made their first public statement of support for this year's anti-substance abuse campaign when they attended a meeting of the Board of Commissioners on Wednesday in support of resolution declaring March 21-25 “We Are Hope” week in county schools.

Drug and alcohol abuse damages the brain, liver, heart and other organs and the rate of drug overdose deaths more than doubled from 1999 to 2013, the resolution said.

Drug and alcohol abuse contine among young people — with statistics showing that 15 percent of high school students have tried cigarettes, 14 percent try alcohol before age 13, 23 percent smoke marijuana and 17 percent have taken prescription drugs. The student leaders from six high schools and four middle schools pledged to educate their peers about drug and alcohol abuse and pledge to remain substance-free.

“They have taken a stand that they are going to be drug free,” Chairman Tommy Thompson said. “It takes lot of intestinal fortitude to stand amongst your peer who are ding things they shouldn’t be doing and take the position that you have taken.”

This is the second year the local high schools’ student government organizations and leaders have organized the campaign with HopeRx. Students at Apple Valley Middle, Flat Rock Middle, Hendersonville Middle, and Rugby Middle, will be joining Balfour Education Center, North Henderson, West Henderson, East Henderson, Hendersonville and Henderson County Early College high schools in learning about substance abuse and misuse.

The week will include assemblies at each school featuring locals in the community who have either personally overcome substance abuse or seen firsthand the devastating effects of addiction. Daily awareness activities will stress the importance of remaining substance free and throughout the campaign, each school will have pledge banners bearing the school’s mascot and a pledge to be substance free, which includes abstaining from the use of alcohol, tobacco, marijuana, and prescription drugs not prescribed to the student.

Students will sign the banners throughout the week leading up the culmination of the “We Are Hope” campaign at noon Friday, March 25, when they hang all 10 banners at the Historic Courthouse. Bo Caldwell, HCPS’ assistant superintendent of administrative services, Henderson County Sheriff Charles McDonald, Chuck Edwards and Hendersonville Mayor Barbara Volk are scheduled to speak.