GREENSBORO, N.C. — Parents, students, and school leaders gathered at Northern Guilford High School for a fentanyl town hall on Wednesday.
WFMY News 2's Hannah Jeffries was on campus to get a closer look at the problem.
Organizers wanted everyone to know the potentially deadly consequences of drugs.
Students here at Northern acknowledged drug use was a problem in the recent survey.
Nearly 90% of students at Northern Guilford High said drugs are a problem at their school.
Experts said more young people are getting involved with dangerous drugs.
The organizers for the meeting are to raise awareness and come up with solutions to keep drugs off of campus.
Kathleen Smith, a mom of two and a PTSA member, wanted to make sure her kids and their classmates are safe. She said her daughters have talked to her about students coming to class high or using drugs in school.
"People used to smoke in their car and get in the schools and it would be fine, or maybe it was an occasion in the bathroom," said Smith. "I think the students are realizing it's so brazen now, it's happening in the back of classrooms, it's happening in classroom changes and I think they're kind of annoyed with it"
Within the past decade, the Guilford County Health Department has seen a 200% increase in drug overdose deaths.
Emergency Services said they work to stop those deaths by administering medicine like Narcan. They sometimes see people under the age of 18 in need of help.
"We see impacts from the opiate crisis just throughout the community. So, it does impact younger folks just the same way it impacts everyone within the community. We see some influence there, but it does impact people across the age ranges and socio-economic and geographical ranges as well" said Scott Muthersbaugh with Guilford County Emergency Services
The Greensboro Fire Department administered Narcan to three people under the age of 18 last year.
Those who organized Tuesday's town hall hope the meeting will encourage parents to have conversations with their kids about the danger of using drugs.