STONE RIDGE – Some 20 percent of students in grades six through 12 in Ulster County have tried a drug in the last 30 days, according to a report released at an Ulster County conference at SUNY Ulster Tuesday.

The problem of substance abuse must be addressed head on, said County Executive Michael Hein.

“When you are talking about adolescent substance abuse, you are talking about very serious stuff, and these are items that are touching so many members of our communities, so many families, it’s essential that find ways to address this more efficiently and effectively,” he said.

The conference was sponsored by the Adolescent Substance Abuse Task Force Team.