Ky. high school holds assembly to encourage students to remain drug-free

LINCOLN COUNTY, Ky. (WKYT) - An assembly was held Tuesday at Lincoln County High School to encourage students to remain drug-free.

According to the National Youth Tobacco Survey, from 2017 to 2019 e-cigarette usage in high school students doubled. More than 2 million kids used e-cigarettes last year.

Founder of Steered Straight Michael Deleon shared his story of how using nicotine at a young age changed his life. At only age 11, Deleon began using drugs, which later resulted in him spending 12 years in prison.

“So, for 12 years, I lived the consequences of the results of drugs and alcohol and we’re in a pandemic in America today, so I decided I was going to do something about it,” said Deleon.

After he was released, he was determined to turn his life around. So, he created Steered Straight, a program to encourage students to quit vaping.

“Parents aren’t going to stop this. Schools aren’t going to stop this if the kids don’t believe that they’re harmful. If they don’t see the long-term damage from nicotine or marijuana. If they don’t see it, then they aren’t gonna stop,” said Deleon.

Students say they were impacted by the presentation, some even handing over their vapes to Deleon.

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