APALD

10/05/2025

🌟 We’re Looking for Volunteers!! 🌟

If you have skills in social media, graphic design, photography, event planning, outreach, or community organizing? We’d love to have you join our team!! 🙌

APALD is continuing our mission to educate and raise awareness in regards to the Illicit Drug Crisis facing America. Our hopes of making a difference — and your talents can help us reach more people, create powerful visuals, and inspire action‼️

👉 If you’re passionate about helping your community and want to get involved, send us a private message or email us at: WeAreApald@gmail.com

09/30/2025

**hCrisisInAmerica
M**hamphetamine (“m**h”) is a powerful, highly addictive stimulant drug that has created a major public health crisis in the United States. Below is a detailed explanation of what m**h is, how it works, and why it has become such a widespread issue.

1. What M**hamphetamine Is.

A synthetic stimulant (not plant-derived like co***ne).

Street names: crystal, crank, ice, glass, speed.

Usually smoked, snorted, injected, or swallowed.

Made in clandestine labs from common chemicals, but also increasingly trafficked into the U.S. by international cartels.

2. How M**h Affects the Brain

M**h increases levels of dopamine, a neurotransmitter tied to pleasure, reward, focus, and motivation.

Unlike co***ne (short-acting), m**h causes longer-lasting stimulation (up to 12+ hours).

Effects:

-Intense euphoria (“rush”)

-Increased energy and alertness

-Decreased appetite

-Heightened confidence

-Over time - m**h:

Damages dopamine neurons, making it hard for the brain to feel pleasure naturally.

Causes cognitive decline, paranoia, hallucinations, and violent behavior.

Leads to visible damage (“m**h mouth,” skin sores, rapid aging).

3. The M**h Crisis in America

M**hamphetamine abuse has been rising sharply in the U.S., often overshadowed by the opioid epidemic but equally devastating.

📊 Statistics (U.S., latest national data)

About 2.5 million Americans reported using m**h in the past year.

M**h overdose deaths have surged: Over 34,000 deaths in 2022 involved m**h or other stimulants (CDC).

In many states, m**h is now the leading cause of drug overdose deaths, especially when mixed with fentanyl.

4. Why It’s a Crisis

Potency & availability: M**h today is purer and cheaper than ever due to cartel production.

Polysubstance use: Many users unknowingly take m**h mixed with fentanyl, greatly increasing overdose risk.

Health toll: Long-term use leads to heart disease, stroke, mental illness, and permanent brain changes.

Community impact:

Rising homelessness and crime in areas with high m**h use.

Overburdened hospitals and addiction treatment centers.

Children in foster care due to parental m**h addiction.

5. Comparison With the Opioid Epidemic

Opioids (like fentanyl) cause overdose deaths mainly through respiratory failure.

M**h rarely kills directly but drives chronic health decline, violence, and psychiatric crises.

Increasingly, opioid and m**h epidemics overlap—users often combine them (“goofball”), making the crisis deadlier.

6. Response & Challenges

No FDA-approved medication yet exists for m**h addiction (unlike opioids, where m**hadone and buprenorphine help).

Behavioral therapies (like cognitive behavioral therapy and contingency management) show the most promise.

Federal, state, and local governments are trying to:

Increase treatment access

Intercept drug trafficking

Launch public health campaigns

But m**h’s low cost, high potency, and long-lasting effects make recovery extremely challenging.

✅ In summary:
M**hamphetamine is one of the most destructive illicit drugs in America. Its powerful impact on the brain’s dopamine system leads to severe addiction, mental illness, and physical decline. With overdose deaths climbing—often due to fentanyl contamination—the m**h crisis now rivals the opioid epidemic as one of the country’s most urgent public health emergencies.

09/30/2025

I got 822 reactions and 169 replies on my recent top post! Thank you all for your continued support. I could not have done it without you. 🙏🤗🎉

09/26/2025

ILLICIT FENTANYL 📣

Why more people are using ILLICIT FENTANYL(whether knowingly or not).

Here are the main drivers behind the increase, based on research and reporting:

1. High potency, low cost, greater profit for dealers / traffickers

Because Illicit Fentanyl is extremely potent, a relatively small amount produces strong effects. That means it costs less (raw materials, bulk, transport) to produce and to smuggle, compared to bulkier drugs like he**in.

From the profitability side: dealers are motivated to use Illicit Fentanyl or mix it into other substances to reduce their product cost or boost potency.

2. Wider availability, often unknowingly.

Illicit Fentanyl is increasingly being found in counterfeit pills, or mixed into other illicit substances without the buyer's knowledge. People think they are getting oxycodone, he**in, m**h, etc., but it contains fentanyl—or a mix that includes it.

Seizures of fentanyl pills (illicit) have surged—showing that more illicit fentanyl is in circulation.

3. Addiction, tolerance, and transitions from prescription opioids.

Many people who become addicted to or dependent on less potent opioids (like prescription painkillers) may need more and more to feel relief or to avoid withdrawal. Some transition to stronger substances—including he**in or illicit fentanyl.

Because illicit fentanyl is so potent, once someone uses it, tolerance and dependence escalate quickly.

4. Risk perception and lack of awareness is a factor.

Some people are unaware that a substance they are using contains fentanyl. This increases risk of overdose (they don’t know how to dose it safely or respond).

Also, some believe that illicit fentanyl (in certain uses) might not be worse than “other opioids,” not understanding how small changes in dose can have big effects.

5. Social, economic, and mental health stressors.

Poverty, unemployment, lack of mental health services, trauma, social isolation: these all contribute to substance use risk. Illicit Fentanyl becomes part of that landscape because of its strength and availability.

The opioid crisis has shifted over time: as prescription opioids became more regulated, some users turned to illicit opioids, including fentanyl.

6. Polysubstance use and mixing with other drugs.

Many overdose deaths now involve illicit Fentanyl plus other drugs (stimulants, benzodiazepines, etc.). Sometimes this is intentional, sometimes unintentional (when other substances are “cut” with illicit fentanyl). This increases danger.

The mixing also means people might be chasing effects (e.g. mixing stimulant + opioid) or simply getting exposed without knowing.

7. Regulatory and supply‐side shifts.

Crackdowns on prescription opioids, while intended to reduce misuse, have sometimes pushed people toward illicit alternatives.

Illicit manufacturing (synthetic) avoids some of the detection/regulation challenges that plant‐based drugs have (he**in, poppy cultivation, etc.) so supply can scale in different ways.

Why people choose illicit fentanyl (versus being exposed to it unknowingly)

Some people prefer fentanyl, for reasons such as:

It produces a more intense high, or one that seems “stronger” or more effective for relieving pain. Studies (e.g. Vancouver) show many who use opioids say they prefer illicit Fentanyl over he**in or prescription opioids for the strength of the effects.

Duration or onset: some report illicit Fentanyl’s effects come quickly, and/or last in ways they find desirable compared to other opioids.

However, “preference” doesn’t always mean fully informed choice—because of the mixing or cross‐contamination in illicit drug supplies.

Why it's so dangerous now (amplifying harm).

The margin between a dose that gives a high vs one that causes overdose is much smaller with fentanyl than with many other opioids. So mistakes or unpredictability are more likely to be lethal.

Because fentanyl is in so many substances, people may not carry naloxone (overdose reversal) or know how to respond, thinking they’re using som**hing “less dangerous.”
~National Institute on Drug Abuse

09/24/2025

Why Do People Use Drugs? With U.S. Data

Understanding the extent of drug use and substance use disorders (SUDs) in the U.S. helps clarify why so many factors contribute to drug use. Below are recent statistics, and what they suggest.

🇺🇸 Key U.S. Statistics

1. Prevalence of Substance Use Disorders (SUDs)

In 2024, about 48.4 million Americans aged 12 or older (~16.8% of that population) had a substance use disorder in the past year.

Of these, ~27.9 million had an alcohol use disorder, and ~28.2 million had a drug use disorder. Some individuals had both.

2. Age Groups Most Affected

Young adults (ages 18–25) have one of the highest rates: ~27.1% of people in this age group had an SUD in 2023.

Adolescents (12–17) also experience SUDs, though at lower rates (~8.5% in 2023).

3. Illicit Drug Use

In 2023, about 70.5 million people aged 12+ used illicit drugs in the past year.

Ma*****na was the most commonly used illicit drug — 61.8 million people in 2023 used it in the past year.

4. Overdose Deaths

In 2023, there were ~107,500 drug overdose deaths in the U.S., a small (~3%) decrease from 2022.

Early data for 2024 suggested a further decline: approximately 80,000 overdose deaths — the largest one-year drop ever recorded, and the lowest number since 2019.

Opioids (particularly synthetic ones like fentanyl) continue to be the leading cause of overdose deaths.

🔍 What These Numbers Suggest

Multiple Drivers: Drug use and substance use disorders are widespread. That means causes are not singular — mental health, social environment, stressors, genetics, availability of substances, etc., all play roles.

Young Adults at Higher Risk: The high rates among ages 18-25 suggest this is a population especially vulnerable to experimentation, peer influence, and possibly less access or awareness of treatment.

Overlap with Alcohol Use: Many with drug use disorders also have alcohol use or misuse — showing substance misuse is not limited to illicit drugs.

Overdose Trends Are Mixed but Some Positive Movement: Though overdose deaths have been very high in recent years, the recent declines are promising. However, the numbers are still very high compared to earlier years.
Sources: SAMSHA - Beckers Behavioral Health - NAMA Recovery

09/06/2025

🚨 Illicit Drugs Are Taking Lives Every Day — Not Just Fentanyl 🚨

When we talk about the drug crisis, fentanyl gets a lot of attention — but it’s not the only deadly threat. Communities everywhere are being devastated by a wide range of illicit lethal drugs, often sold under false names, disguised as pills, or laced into other substances.

⚠️ Drugs fueling today’s crisis include:

He**in
Co***ne
M**hamphetamine (M**h)
Xylazine (Animal Tranquilizer)

ISO (Isotonitazene – a powerful synthetic opioid)

Nitazenes (a growing family of synthetic opioids stronger than fentanyl)

Illicit pills (fake painkillers, anxiety meds, “party drugs” pressed with hidden opioids and tranquilizers)

These substances are unpredictable, highly addictive, and often mixed together, making every dose a deadly gamble.

🕯️ One pill, one line, one hit can end a life.
Together, we must raise awareness, educate our communities, and fight for stronger prevention and support.

09/01/2025

🚨 Illicit Lethal Drugs: A National Crisis 🚨 Across the country, communities are coming together to combat the devastating impact of illicit lethal drugs — including m**hamphetamine, he**in, fentanyl, carifentanyl, co***ne, xylazine, kratom, nitazenes, and counterfeit pills. It's also being put into Ma*****na as well.
NO STREET DRUGS ARE SAFE ‼️‼️

These substances are often mixed, laced, or disguised, making them even more lethal & deadly. Many pills sold on the street look like prescription medication but are deadly fakes. Animal tranquilizers like xylazine are being cut into street drugs, causing severe health complications, and even death. Fentanyl and nitazenes are so powerful that even the smallest amount can be fatal. This crisis touches every family, every neighborhood, and every age group. We must raise awareness, educate others, and fight back against this epidemic with courage and resilience.

Protect yourself and your community: Never take pills that weren’t prescribed directly by a doctor or pharmacy.

Talk openly with your children, teens and loved ones about the danger of about illicit lethal drugs. There are ways to speak to children vs teens.

Learn how to spot signs of illicit drug poisonings/overdoses and carry naloxone if possible. Support prevention, treatment, and recovery programs in your area. Together, we can save lives, bring hope to families across America, and create a brighter future for all. ❤️💜💔❤️🙏

08/30/2025

No tidy stages. No rules. Just a messy, unpredictable, beautiful disaster of love you didn’t get to keep. You’re not doing it wrong.

https://healgrief.org/grief-is-and-grief-is-not/

Source: https://hospice-matters.com/revisiting-and-recounting-griefs-5-stages/

08/26/2025

A&E "Fentanyl & Fame"
https://www.al.com/tv/2025/08/fame-and-fentanyl-special-takes-a-deep-dive-into-drugs-affect-on-top-celebrities-how-to-stream-free.html?fbclid=IwdGRjcAMbJTVjbGNrAxslLGV4dG4DYWVtAjExAAEeInjO3nGOGLESHQxs9N5wCg2Yslcf9EAtbCpnKC4ZnWzSe34ug2uZ5nPcfyg_aem_ZtvsgU6Ph4zvACIPWmZ7aA

During the new "Fame and Fentanyl" special, host Ice T shares the effect of one of the most dangerous drugs running rampant in the nation, and its unfortunate influence in the lives of some of the world’s most dazzling celebrities.

08/26/2025

‼️🙌

Let the fun begin! Time to get to work!

08/26/2025

Let this sink in.