CANTON —  Drug abuse is killing the next generation and it’s killing Haywood County’s future, said Jean Parris, and that’s why she is driven to make people take notice and take action against the problem.

“This isn’t the OK Corral, this isn’t New York City but we had three shootings in the town of Canton last year and all were drug related,” said Parris.  When a friend’s son was one of those killed in a shooting, Parris began organizing meetings in the Canton area.  The next “Drugs in the Our Midst” meeting is scheduled for Sunday, Sept. 16 at Pinnacle Church.

One speaker at the meeting will be Crystal Mehaffey, a recovering drug addict, who will tell her story.  Mehaffey was 17 when she first started taking drugs.

“I got some pain pills from my boyfriend’s family members,” she said.  ...