(RALEIGH) Attorney General Josh Stein hosted a forum on Monday about the threats to young people’s mental health and well-being. The event in Charlotte included panels about online safety and youth substance misuse. Panelists included Mecklenburg County District Attorney Spencer Merriweather, Truth Initiative CEO and President Robin Koval, and NCDHHS Assistant Secretary for Children and Families Dr. Charlene Wong. 

“Too many of our children are in crisis,” said Attorney General Josh Stein. “We have to work together to combat drug addiction, push back against social media platforms, and safely store our guns so kids can’t access them. I’m grateful to all of the North Carolinians who are working hard on these issues, and I look forward to continuing my work with them to keep kids safe.” 

Some of the risk factors discussed were substance misuse, the time spent and content seen on social media apps, and the rise in gun violence and danger of unsecured firearms. 

Attorney General Stein has been at the forefront of several issues that directly impact North Carolina’s children. He was the first attorney general in the nation to hold e-cigarette maker Juul accountable for illegally marketing the products to people in North Carolina. He also helped lead negotiations with drug companies to secure more than $50 billion nationwide to combat addiction. He is also investigating Meta and TikTok for promoting their platforms to and harming kids.