KISSIMMEE, Fla. – Today, First Lady Casey DeSantis hosted a high school The Facts. Your Future. assembly at Tohopekaliga High School to highlight the dangers of youth substance abuse, especially for teens. These assemblies will count toward the five hours of required instruction for mental health and substance abuse. Schools are encouraged to follow the assembly framework. To learn more, visit TheFactsYourFuture.org.
“Fentanyl is now the leading cause of death in the United States for people between the ages of 18 to 45. 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,” said First Lady Casey DeSantis.
“When we travel across the state talking to students about substance abuse, I am always impressed by their courage to say no to societal pressures that are pushing them toward irresponsible behavior. 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 – it’s just say no to drugs, and here’s why. I am incredibly thankful for everyone who joined us today and I look forward to continuing to work with the Department of Health and our local law enforcement to help teenagers live meaningful, drug-free lives.”
Since launching in 2019, The Facts. Your Future. has been utilized statewide to help youth understand the toxic effects of substance abuse. In July 2021, the State Board of Education, in partnership with First Lady DeSantis, adopted groundbreaking student performance standards on substance abuse prevention. To help schools achieve these standards, the campaign is now included as part of a free substance abuse curriculum for schools. The Florida Department of Education and Florida Department of Health will continue to work with schools across the state to help them host assemblies on substance abuse.
The First Lady was joined by Seminole County Sheriff Dennis Lemma, Florida Department of Health Deputy Secretary Dr. Kenneth Scheppke, Statewide Youth Advocacy Coordinator for Students Working Against Tobacco Ladarius Gammage, and others who are working to prevent substance abuse in youth or have been impacted by substance abuse.
This announcement comes at an important time when fentanyl deaths are rising across the country, including in Florida. In 2020, 63% more deaths were caused by fentanyl than the previous year.
The initiative website, TheFactsYourFuture.org, will continue to expand with new resources throughout the year.