Thirteen Byrd Middle School students and three Tuckahoe Middle School students in Henrico County are facing prescription drug charges.

Police said a Tuckahoe student gave the prescription drug Adderall to two Tuckahoe students and a Byrd student last month.  The Byrd student then gave the pills to eight other students. Then, on April 30, a Byrd student allegedly gave Adderall to two additional students.

When school authorities and investigators learned about the drug activity, they immediately went into emergency mode.

"We set up what we call an incident command system where we had the schools, the fire, and the police all working together as a team," said Henrico County Police Lt. Doug Perry.

None of the students involved were seriously harmed but all are facing distribution or possession charges. 

"Prescription drugs are very serious, very dangerous things," said Perry.  "You never know how these drugs are going to affect different children."

Byrd and Tuckahoe Middle Schools sent letters home explaining the situation.  The district also plans to hold a town meeting with a drug expert on Thursday, May 14.  It will be held at Hermitage High School and prescription drugs and drug abuse will be discussed.

Copyright 2009 by Young Broadcasting, Inc.