Drug addiction affects people from all walks of life. Alston grew up in a
happy home with a normal upbringing, but as a young adult his propensity
for having fun took a dangerous turn when he began experimenting with
the seemingly harmless pills his friends were passing around.
Of course, it was only a matter of time before that happened. “When
someone is on drugs, he is going to become reckless. They’ll start stealing,
driving under the influence. All of it comes with addiction,” said Chastity.
The first time Alston was arrested, he was released since he had never
been in trouble before. He immediately returned to drugs. The second time,
Steve and Chastity did not try to rescue him from the consequences of his
choices. He sat in the Toombs County jail for almost a month. At least he
would have to detox. Their hope was that once his mind cleared, Alston
would come to his senses.
“A lot of times, the person can’t detox on his own,” said Steve. “It can be
very dangerous. The pain of withdrawals can be so bad, the person will try
to stop it and overdose. It happens every day.”
“We were so thankful for the detectives and judges in Toombs County,”
said Chastity. “They worked on a contingent bond that would require Alston
to choose between rehab or jail time. Contingent bonds are lifesavers for
so many people. It doesn’t erase their charges, but if they complete a year
"The pain of
withdrawals can
be so bad, the
person will try
to stop it and
then overdose. It
happens every day."
82 TOOMBS COUNTY MAGAZINE