First Lady Casey DeSantis Teaches High Schoolers Dangers of Drug Abuse

May 19, 2022 Updated 4:23 P.M. ET

KISSIMMEE (FLV) –  First Lady Casey DeSantis hosted a high school assembly at Tohopekaliga High School teaching about the dangers of teenage substance abuse. 

“When you consider the situation in our country where fentanyl use is spiking and tragically causing far too many young people to needlessly lose their lives, now it is more important than ever for teenagers to understand the facts about substance abuse,” DeSantis said. 

The assembly was called “The Facts. Your Future.” It was launched in 2019 to help students understand the toxic effects of substance abuse.

“We also know that young people need to know the facts in order to continue to resist peer pressure, which is why this campaign focuses on providing the facts about the permanent, life altering changes of substance abuse,” DeSantis said. 

The State Board of Education provides free substance abuse curriculum for schools. 

“Providing relevant educational tools for drug prevention to our youth is more important today than ever before,” said Seminole County Sheriff Dennis Lemma. “Long gone are the days that we could rely on messages like ‘Just Say No.’” 

Fentanyl deaths are rising across the country, including in Florida. In 2020, 63% more deaths were caused by fentanyl than the previous year. 

“The First Lady’s campaign is critical for supporting youth across the state in making informed decisions about their lives,” said Statewide Youth Advocacy Coordinator for Students Working Against Tobacco Ladarius Gammage. “We have a responsibility to prepare these young people for the future, and the First Lady has clearly embraced this charge through her initiative.”