Dr.

Chris Hampton
Superintendent of Schools

400 Clinchfield Street, Ste. 200

Kingsport, TN 37660

p: (423) 378.2102
f: (423) 378.2120

www.k12k.com

March 30, 2023

Dear Kingsport Families, Students, and Community,

In recent months, officials with Kingsport City Schools and the Kingsport Police Department have seen an
alarming increase in the use of vaping devices by children, both in school and in the community. Often, children
are unknowingly consuming substances that contain extremely dangerous chemicals such as
tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC. And while KCS has not yet dealt directly with Fentanyl-laced devices, this
dangerous synthetic drug is also being found throughout our community. Ingestion of only a small amount of
Fentanyl can result in a fatal overdose.

In recent months, multiple KCS students have required medical treatment in response to vaping, with some
students needing transport to area hospitals for emergency care. KCS and KPD wish to alert our community to
the presence of these items, the dangers they pose, and how KCS will react if they are brought into our schools.

KCS and KPD strongly encourage families to discuss the dangers of vaping and consuming chemicals such as
THC, Fentanyl, and other substances. With any vaping device, it is impossible to definitively know the content
of the substance being consumed, which poses a potentially grave risk to students.

To help support these conversations, a Fast Facts document has been prepared to provide information and
resources regarding vaping and its medical risk. This information can be found by clicking here.

Please help spread awareness of this critically important issue. KCS, KPD, and the many partner agencies listed
below encourage you to please talk with your child(ren) about these items, what they look like, the danger they
pose to children, and how to make the best decisions to avoid this potentially harmful health risk.

Sincerely,

Dr. Chris Hampton, Superintendent Dale Phipps, Chief of Police

Kingsport City Schools City of Kingsport

Jim Bean, Director Scott Boyd, Chief

Sullivan County Emergency Management Agency Kingsport Fire Department

Miles Burdine, President & CEO Desteny Clemons, Director

Kingsport Chamber Healthy Kingsport

Christina English, Behavioral Health Program Director Danelle Glascock, Executive Director
Camelot Care Center United Way of Greater Kingsport
AveNew Drug Education & Prevention Initiative

Kristie Hammonds, President and CEO Alan Levine, Chairman, President and CEO
Frontier Health Ballad Health

Inspire. Cultivate. Impact

WWW.K12K.COM
 Dr. Chris Hampton
Superintendent of Schools

400 Clinchfield Street, Ste. 200

Kingsport, TN 37660

p: (423) 378.2102
f: (423) 378.2120

www.k12k.com

Kevin Marsh, Deputy Chief Gary Mayes, Regional Director

Sullivan County E.M.S. Sullivan County Regional Health Department

Alice McCaffrey, Director Chris McCartt, City Manager

Sullivan County Anti-Drug Coalition City of Kingsport

Aaron Shankle, Director of Business Development Pat Shull, Mayor

Camelot Care Center City of Kingsport

Barry Staubus, District Attorney General Greg Walters, Director

State of Tennessee, 2nd Judicial District Sullivan County Juvenile Court
(Sullivan County) Division II – Kingsport

Jeff Williams, Director of Business Development Sarah Smiddy Youssef, MD FAAP

Creekside Behavioral Health Holston Medical Group Pediatrician and
Medical Director of School Nursing Program
for Kingsport City Schools

Inspire. Cultivate. Impact

WWW.K12K.COM