Category Archives: Uncategorized
COVID-19 and the Addiction Crisis
According to the University of Michigan’s Department of Psychiatry, COVID-19 related social isolation and stress can increase susceptibility to substance misuse, addiction, and relapse. Substance abuse use can lead to immune system, respiratory, and pulmonary changes and may increase susceptibility to COVID-19 as well as complications.
According to recent data released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 81,000 people in the United States died of a drug overdose between May 2019 and May 2020. The number of overdose deaths accelerated significantly during the pandemic, resulting in the largest monthly increases documented since provisional data calculations began in 2015.
While synthetic opioids, such as illicit fentanyl, continue to be the primary cause of these deaths, there has also been an alarming increase in the number of deaths involving illicit stimulants, particularly methamphetamine. Overdose deaths connected to meth increased almost 35 percent in 2020, exceeding the number of cocaine-related deaths.
Addiction in America is an ever increasing national crisis!
Not only is substance abuse America’s number one health problem, the devastation of alcoholism and other drug addiction has impacted families and communities worldwide. Substance abuse has been directly linked to violence and sexual immorality and is a major source of income for organized crime and terrorist activities.
For a personal interview with “Just Pray NO!” Founder and Author Steven L. Sherman, in the U.S.A. call: (727) 647-6467 or email: justprayno@aol.com.
Tracy’s Choices is a Must Read – How Drug Abuse Led to AIDS
Tracy chose to use alcohol and drugs early in life and ended up as a prostitute to support her habit. She dies of AIDS, but her death was not in vain
Tracy was the first person in the State of Illinois to be arrested, convicted, and sent to prison for the knowing attempt to transmit the AIDS virus. How could this happen? Tracy grew up in a middle-income home in Rockford, Illinois. But Tracy made choices early in her life that would have a direct effect on her life in the future. She began to use alcohol very early. In high school, she listened to peer pressure as friends introduced her to drugs. At seventeen, she quit school and took to life on the street as a prostitute in order to earn money for her growing drug habit.
Tracy was arrested by Lt. Jim Mays in a prostitution sting operation. Lt. Mays was instrumental in Tracy’s decision to put her faith and trust in Jesus Christ. As a result, her life completely changed. However, the years of substance abuse and the complications from HIV infection were taking their toll. The Governor of Illinois later granted Tracy a full pardon so that she could come home to die. But she didn’t die, and Tracy used her last months to reach out to young people.
To watch a pre-view of the video documentation of her efforts use the link provided below:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JUpoCXtHJ2E&t=23s
Tracy’s Choices illustrates the point that there may be many forces at work trying to get a young person off track, but in the end, You are Responsible for You.
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