CASTLE ROCK, Colo – Inside the Douglas County Commissioners’ hearing room Monday morning, the message against opioid misuse came straight from the teens themselves.
“We believe that the best individuals to speak to other young people are young people,” said Commissioner Abe Laydon, co-chair of the Douglas County Opioid Council.
The event marked the launch of “Our Unfiltered Voices,” a new youth-focused awareness campaign developed by the Douglas County Opioid Council and the Douglas County School District.
According to the 2023 Healthy Kids Colorado Survey, 94% of Douglas County teens have never misused pills. The campaign celebrates that majority, while also sharing stories of recovery to reach the other 6%.
Among those featured are 15-year-old Vivian Rogers, a sophomore at Arapahoe High School who is two years sober.
“A lot of people make being in recovery and being sober this really dull and bland thing,” Rogers said. “But honestly, my life has become so much cooler getting sober.”
Rogers found help through the nonprofit FullCircle, a peer-based recovery program for teens and young adults. She says it taught her that life in recovery can still be joyful and connected.
“Full Circle is like AA for younger people,” she explained. “We have meetings and just hang out, learning about ourselves and how we can grow.”
Samuel Larson, 20, also shared his experience, saying he began using at 17 and now has been sober for 20 months, thanks to the same peer-support program.
“There are so many cool things happening around me,” Larson said. “For the first time, I feel like everything’s going to be okay.”
Commissioner Laydon says the Unfiltered Voices campaign embodies a new approach to prevention, one built on authenticity and lived experience.
“Kids can smell phonies a million miles away,” he said. “Hearing that message from their peers is critically important.”
Funded through Colorado’s opioid-settlement dollars, Douglas County leaders say they plan to continue investing in youth-led solutions that support both prevention and recovery.
“Young people are not defined by their mistakes,” Laydon said. “We want to highlight their ability to overcome challenging circumstances — because that’s the greatest measure of success.”
To watch the campaign videos and learn more, you can head to the “Our Unfiltered Voices” website.
“I really hope a lot of people get to see these videos and have hope and courage,” Rogers said.
