08/31/2022
August 31, 2022 - today is Overdose Awareness Day. Today I ask that we all have a little more compassion and understanding for all that still suffer and remember that every person that uses drugs is someone's brother, sister, daughter, son, mother, father... And, regardless of your opinion as to whether or not addiction is disease, these people are dying and dying at an alarming rate. In 2016 there were 59,000 fatal drug overdoses, that's more than car accidents and gun related deaths and in 2021 there were 100,306 fatal drug overdoses, that’s nearly double. Overdoses are now the leading cause of death for people under the age of 50 and it is 100 percent preventable. Addiction and mental health is something that I've been passionate about for a long time, something I've educated myself on just so I can be more empathetic and understanding, and has become something that is now part of my everyday life. So today, I ask that we all consider all the facts and educate ourselves, our children and our communities. Education is the only way we can prevent this epidemic from continuing. Addiction doesn't discriminate and can happen to anyone.
