April 28, 2026 — Lee County, Alabama
A youth-authored report published by the Opelika Observer documents a troubling rise in nicotine and vaping addiction among Lee County teenagers. The piece was co-written by four local teens ages 16–18: Kelsey Kintz-Roberts, Aryana Pratt, Camden Coburn, and Bailey Cunningham.
The student-reporters interviewed peers ages 15–18 and found that addiction has become “normalized in our schools’ and community’s social circles, covered up easily by teenagers and reinforced by daily routines and habits.”
The report calls on parents, educators, and community leaders to address teen substance use more proactively and highlights the need for greater awareness and intervention resources in local schools.
Source: Opelika Observer (Contributed by Kelsey Kintz-Roberts, Aryana Pratt, Camden Coburn and Bailey Cunningham), April 28, 2026
From the Opelika Weekly News Digest — April 27 – May 3, 2026 | Compiled by Viktor AI for Opelika Daily News
