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The full effects of illicit drugs and vaping were on display Monday night when UMC NEIDS Outreach presented a program at the Mulkey Theatre for parents and community members.

Charlie Nichols, MSN, RN, who is an emergency room nurse at UMC in Lubbock, talked about real world cases she has seen during a broad presentation of the dangers of drug use.

“The reality is that middle school and high school students are experimenting,” Nichols said. “You think it’s not here. It is.”

Nichols focused on vaping habits and said students as young as elementary age are trying it because they see older siblings and parents do it, and she outlined several harmful effects of vaping on the body. She also said that some vapes can explode, leading to burns and other injuries.

She said high school kids sometimes sneak vapes into school in their underpants, and she asks them to consider the consequences of what happens if one explodes while they are doing that.

Nichols also explains to students in graphic detail what happens when they are brought to an emergency room overdosing or tripping on drugs – from cutting off their clothes to intubating them to restraining them and catheterizing them.

The program also focused on other illicit substances – many of which are packaged and designed to look like candy, and Nichols said predators are targeting kids and teens through social media and online games.

In addition to vaping, the danger of Fentanyl overdose still remains very high with even a trace exposure sometimes leading to death.

Nichols encourages parents to get Narcan – a highly effective nasal spray that save a person from an overdose of opioid-based drugs. She says every student should be carrying one if not for themselves but for a friend if they need it.

Nichols also said new drugs are on the horizon. Drugs like Xylazine and Nitazen are not opioid-based, and Narcan will not work on them.

Nichols sees vaping as a gateway drug to stronger and stronger substances, and she says kids need to be encouraged and supported to stop.

“You have to make a choice to stop killing yourself,” she tells them.

Nichols presented the same program to Hedley ISD students and Clarendon College students earlier Monday and was presenting the program to Clarendon CISD students on Tuesday.

She encourages everyone to follow the UMC NEIDS Facebook page to keep up with the drug dangers facing kids.

Hedley hosted its 73rd Cotton Festival last Friday and Saturday, October 10 and 11, with a large crowd from nearby communities and lots of activities this year.

Organizers were pleased with the event which drew about 20 vendors in addition to food trucks and other forms of entertainment. An alumni reunion at the Hedley school was also well attended Saturday.

Several drawings were held to raise funds for local organizations. The Cotton Bale raffled off by the Lions Club was won by Jean Taylor, and Debbie Kennedy won the 50/50 raffle to support the Hedley Volunteer Fire Department.

The Hedley Senior Citizens held three drawings. Nathan Floyd won that 50/50 pot, Tom Heck won the Henry riffle, and Kerry Cartrite won the drawing for the shotgun.

Bingo games were well attended for the benefit of the Hedley FFA, and the kids parade and big parade drew several participants as well.