It's a daily battle in our schools. Protecting children from harmful drugs including marijuana, fentanyl, and vaping products. One local educator calling on other educators and parents to teach children about these harmful drugs early because more children are using drugs now more than ever. I spoke with two educators who say the rise in drug use among students is alarming. I caught up with administrators at the annual drug education council luncheon. They say it's important that we teach children about drugs because too many children are dying.

"Of course, we've got the fentanyl crisis that is just killing too many of our young adults, but we've also got a vaping epidemic that has started, and we've got to put an end to that," says Virginia Guy the Executive Director of the Drug Education Council.

According to the National Youth Tobacco Survey in 2022, it found more than 2.5 million high and middle school students currently use e-cigarettes. They found more than 1 in 4 youth use vaping products every day. Local educators say drug usage in school aged children is especially alarming.

"It's scary. I don't think the general public recognizes that vaping is real big now and a lot of our students they don't what are in these chemicals," says Superintendent of Baldwin County Public Schools, Eddie Tyler.

"And now the vapes don't just have nicotine in them they can have any kind of drug including fentanyl," Virginia Guy added.

Gwendolyn Byrd is the Superintendent in the Archdiocese Schools of Mobile. She says drugs are easily accessible to students, even more accessible than they were before.

"It's going to be this one time! One time is all it takes,” says Byrd. "And it happens everywhere that's the saddest part. When I was growing up... I didn't even know it. Today it's out there everybody knows it."

Superintendent Eddie Tyler says even kids elementary school age are experimenting with drugs and vapes.

"To know that someone is a 2nd, 3rd, or 4th grade could be influenced into attempting these things but a lot of times they have no idea. That's why it's our job to be on guard and protect these young people," says Superintendent Tyler.

Byrd says it's up to educators to teach students about the dangers and it's up to parents to inform their children.

"Take time to listen to your children. Take time to be with your children and give them a good example and remind them what can happen in certain situations," says Byrd.

Superintendent Tyler says he'll be going to Montgomery on Thursday, hoping to speak with legislators about what can be done to save our children.