HENRICO COUNTY, Va. -- A Henrico coalition held a town hall for teenagers Wednesday evening, in an effort to fight opioid misuse.
Henrico Too Smart 2 Start, the nonprofit coalition said their research conducted that opioid misuse is on the rise for kids in Central Virginia.
They are finding the misuse is coming from teens who are taking more than what doctors prescribe, taking other medication, or getting fake pills at parties.
Organizers said they created the town hall because they believed it would be an opportunity to educate teens and create spaces for them to have open dialogue on their experiences.
Several dozen teens gathered for the organization's first town hall at the Richmond Elite Academy.
“Substance misuse is something that affects everyone no matter what you look like or what your background is. It’s sad to say it’s taking a foothold in Henrico and is increasing,” said Terrell Pollard, the Chair of the Henrico Too Smart 2 Start Coalition.
Teenagers were able to hear from athletes like Andre Ingram, Jonathan Hargett, and Barvenia Wooten, as well as coaches, mentors, and experts in the mental health and substance use field.
The speakers shared how addiction impacted them personally or their peers.
“Family shared substance abuse and why I didn’t make it to the NBA,” said Jonathan Hargett.
Organizers then turned the conversation over to the teenagers, who anonymously shared their experiences with drugs.
Panelists then answered questions and equipped them with strategies to turn to instead of drugs when dealing with stress, depression, and anxiety
They then touched on the importance of having tough conversations, reaching out for support, and realizing that it is okay to fail.
Organizers hope this early-year conversation will stick out in these teenager's minds as they try to get them to turn to other coping mechanisms instead of opioids.
“I hope this is a catalyst for continued discussion. I want us to have a culture of conversations so our youth makes the right decisions,” said Pollard.
Henrico 2Smart 2 Start Coalition said they plan to have more town halls like this in the future to help reach more teens.
They are encouraging parents to be intrusive in their children's lives and reach out to Henrico Too Smart 2 Start for help and resources.
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