Written by Jazmin Lopez, a Ventura County high school student.

Violetta didn't like pretty people, especially pretty women who looked so effortlessly perfect and like their lives were filled with adventures and friends who actually liked them. Violetta detested pretty women who adorned their skin with the most expensive makeup, but somehow she couldn't stop watching these women...

1 in 5 Ventura County teens have abused prescription drugs. 

Over 50% get them from friends and family. 

9% of 9th graders and 14% of 11th graders in Ventura County say they’ve used prescription medications to get high.

The countywide report of the California Healthy Kids Survey (CHKS) indicates a hopeful decline in lifetime misuse of prescription drugs. However, prevention of...

This article was written with information taken from the International Overdose Awareness Day website and Ventura County Responds.

In honor of International Overdose Awareness Day on August 31st, here’s some information and resources about the signs and statistics of overdose.

Drug overdose is the leading cause of unintentional injury death in the United States, causing more deaths than...

This post was written by Aiden Choi, a senior at the Davidson Academy in Reno, Nevada.

For the past few decades, American obesity rates have been rising at an alarming rate and noncommunicable diseases, such as heart disease and diabetes, have long since overtaken contagious diseases as the primary cause of death. Time and time again, studies have shown that sugar in the diet is a huge...

How High Ventura County is an online resource from Ventura County Behavioral Health that addresses the growing need in Ventura County for facts to educate teens and their families about marijuana use. How High Ventura County is a health initiative designed to teach parents and youth that marijuana affects teens differently. From their website,

“It’s not about politics. It’s...

This post was written by a Ventura County college student.

My Friends’ Story Started With Having Fun With Marijuana And Ended With No Future

This piece is for those that want to say in the future, “My teenage years were so cool.”

Forty years ago I was a teenager, a very hectic and social teenager.  Being exposed to many positive and sad experiences, I realized that I...

The DEA’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day is coming up on Saturday, October 23rd, 2021. Rx Drug Take Back Day addresses a crucial public safety and public health issue. According to the 2019 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 9.7 million people misused prescription pain relievers, 4.9 million people misused prescription stimulants, and 5.9 million people misused prescription...

Written by Liz Hyman.

She had blue hair, with a green streak.

I left the store to get to the car and there I saw her, mourning life.

She was cold. 

I was cold.

The tension was warm. 

“Are you ok?” I asked.

“Do you have any money?” she responded.

I checked my pockets only to find 2 quarters and a receipt. 

“No, I’m sorry.”

Her eyes...