Teenagers in Today’s Youth, Tomorrow’s Leaders (TYTL) program discuss plans for their second annual town forum about drug trends, which will be held on July 23 at the downtown Huntsville-Madison County Public Library. (CONTRIBUTED)

HUNTSVILLE – A town forum on July 23 will explain the latest trends with illegal and abused prescription drugs.

The Today’s Youth, Tomorrow’s Leaders (TYTL) program will hold its second annual town forum about drug news on July 23. The youth program is affiliated with Partnership for a Drug-Free Community.

The downtown Huntsville-Madison County Public Library, 915 Monroe St. in Huntsville will host the event from 1 to 3 p.m.

The forum’s focus will be the prescription pill abuse epidemic, resurgence of heroin and how Today’s Youth, Tomorrow’s Leaders advocates are making a difference for a drug­free lifestyle, Deborah Soule said. Soule serves as Executive Director of Partnership for a Drug-Free Community.

“If you have questions about what’s happening related to illegal and prescription drugs, this is where you can get answers,” Soule said. “You’ll hear from every side of this very serious issue in our community.”

The forum is open to the public. Organizers suggest that parents and their children attend the event together.

Forum panelists will include Madison County Sheriff Blake Dorning, Huntsville Police Chief Lewis Morris, Madison Police Department Lt. Wayne Kamus, Deputy Commander Jerry King with the Madison-Morgan County Strategic Counter-Drug Team (STAC), Madison County Public Health Officer Dr. Larry Robey and Pharmacist Karren Crowson, along with TYTL members.

The partnership organized Today’s Youth – Tomorrow’s Leaders to provide an awareness program using social media that influences young people and adults to better understand the impact and dangers of prescription pill abuse. TYTL welcomes youth as new members.

Partnership for a Drug-Free Community has worked with Huntsville and Madison police officers and civic leaders to inform the community about the dangers of prescription pill abuse. This collaboration led to seven ‘take-back days’ thus far for residents to safely discard more 6,100 pounds of expired prescription pills.

For more information, call the partnership office at 256-539-7339 or visit tytlonline.com or partnershipforadrug-freecommunity.org.