Wisconsin Alcohol and Drug Treatment Programs

Every year, Wisconsin experiences new episodes of substance abuse, dependence, and addiction. This is in spite of the increasing number of addiction treatment and rehabilitation options that the state offers to help its residents overcome their substance use disorders.

As a result, residents have been struggling with declining health and poor quality of life as a result of the adverse effects and consequences of drug and alcohol addiction.

Apart from heroin, many other drugs are also abused in the state. In many cases, Wisconsin has been experiencing trends of substance use that mirror those at the national level. For instance, synthetic marijuana, methamphetamine, marijuana, and cocaine are commonly abused across the region.

Statistics on Substance Abuse in Wisconsin

In 2010, Wisconsin enrolled 29,358 people into its addiction treatment and rehabilitation centers. Of this number, 29.2 percent were female while the remaining 70.8 percent were male.

N-SSATS National Survey of Substance Abuse Treatment Services reports have also showed that the total number of these centers in the state decreased to 290 facilities in 2006 from a total of 324 back in 2002.

The same survey illustrated that the rates of illicit drug use including but not limited to marijuana in the state were below or at par with similar rates at the national level. This applied for people across all age groups.

Across all the years surveyed, however, the rates of alcohol abuse and dependence in the years prior to the surveys were higher than the total rates at the national level. This was mostly true for people between the ages of 18 and 25.

At the same time, however, the rates of past year drug abuse and dependence in Wisconsin were generally lower than similar rates at the national level. Even so, the state was ranked among the top 10 in the United States with high levels of unmet treatment needs for alcohol use disorders. This was particularly true for people between the ages of 18 and 25.

On the other hand, the rates of unmet treatment needs for a substance use disorder other than alcohol especially for young adults in the same age group were either below or at par with similar rates at the national level.

Commonly Abused Substances in Wisconsin

But what are the most commonly abused substances in the state? Essentially, both drug and alcohol abuse are widespread in Wisconsin as elsewhere in the United States. Many people have also been abusing heroin including those who were previously put on prescription opioid medications.

The following figures relate to the drugs that are popular in the state:

1. Alcohol

In 2010, a total of 15,008 individuals enrolled into addiction treatment and rehabilitation facilities for an alcohol use disorder as their primary condition. An additional 5,998 individuals received similar treatment but with a secondary substance use disorder over and above their alcoholism.

2. Cocaine

The same year, 1,514 people were admitted into rehab centers across the state for smoking cocaine. An additional 270 people received similar treatment as a result of ingesting this drug through other means apart from smoking.

3. Marijuana

Research data has also revealed that Wisconsin was the most commonly cited substance among people enrolling for addiction treatment and rehabilitation. In 2010, for instance, 2817 received such treatment for developing dependence on this drug. Of this number, 77.9 percent were male while the remaining 22.1 percent were female.

At the same time, the largest segment of the population that was found to be using cannabis the other name for marijuana was between the ages of 21 and 25 years.

4. Synthetic Cannabinoids

Synthetic Cannabinoids include Spice, K2, and synthetic marijuana. The Department of Health Services for Wisconsin has been issuing warnings about the severe bleeding that might occur among people who abuse these substances.

In 2018 from March to July the Division of Public Health received a total of 44 reports of these incidents. 33 of these cases were confirmed to be linked to synthetic cannabinoids particularly in Rock, Outagamie, Milwaukee, and Dane counties.

5. Amphetamines

In 2010, 308 individuals checked into addiction treatment and rehab centers in Wisconsin for abusing amphetamines. Of this number, 42.5 percent were female while the remaining 57.5 percent were male. A total of 30.5 percent of these enrolled patients were between the ages of 26 and 30.

6. Prescription Drugs

The rates of prescription drug abuse have also been rising across the United States with similar trends being noticed in Wisconsin. In 2010, for instance, 1709 people checked into rehab centers in the state for abusing and developing chemical and psychological dependence on opioid drugs other than heroin.

Statistics on Drug Courts, Injuries, and Fatalities in Wisconsin

In Wisconsin, drug use was the direct cause of 639 deaths in 2007. This was in comparison to the 809 people who lost their lives in motor vehicle accidents and the 488 lives that the state lost to incidents involving firearms the same year.

The rate of drug induced death in the state was at 11.4 deaths for every 100,000 people which was lower than the total national rate of 12.7 deaths for every 100,000 people.

Most of these deaths have been attributed to the opioid epidemic that has been sweeping across the state. Between 2013 and 2014, for instance, 4 percent of locals above the age of 12 abused prescription pain relief medications by using them for non-medical purposes.

At the time, the 4 percent rate of prescription drug abuse in Wisconsin equaled similar rates at the national level. Additionally, young adults showed the highest rates of such drug abuse at 9 percent. Further, the levels of prescription medication abuse have been constant at 4 percent since around 2011.

Today, any use of prescription drugs for non-medical purposes is considered to comprise direct substance abuse. This is because these medications often lead to tolerance, dependence, and addiction. In the most extreme of cases, they can cause you to overdose or lose your life. Other people eventually progress from these medications to ongoing heroin abuse because heroin is cheaper and more easily accessible.

Not surprisingly, opioid abuse has been leading to many deaths in Wisconsin. In 2016, for instance, the rates of overdose deaths linked to this class drugs (15.8 deaths for every 100,000 people) superseded the national rates of 13.3 deaths for every 100,000 people.

The following figures show the rates of death linked to opioid abuse in the state since 2010:

• Deaths from prescription opioid medications shot up by 34 percent from 285 fatalities to 382 deaths
• Deaths linked to synthetic opioids rose by 336 percent from 66 deaths to 288 fatalities; most of these fatalities were linked to fentanyl abuse
• Overdose death arising from heroin abuse went up by close to 323 percent from a total of 92 to about 389 deaths

The Epidemiological Profile on Alcohol and Other Drugs for Wisconsin for 2016 showed that the rates of past year illicit substance abuse in the state equaled national levels. Consider the following:

• 3 percent of people above the age of 12 abused illicit substances
• At 2 percent, the rates of cocaine abuse in Wisconsin equaled national levels
• The rates of marijuana abuse in the past year were higher than similar rates at the national level at 13 and 12 percent respectively

Methamphetamine has also affected every region of the state. According to the Department of Health Services for Wisconsin, for instance, the total number of local residents who were receiving treatment using county funds between 2010 and 2015 for this drug more than doubled from 331 people to 706 people.

Addiction Prevention and Treatment in Wisconsin

Wisconsin has a number of outreach and prevention programs designed to reduce the rates of alcohol and drug abuse for all residents across the state. These programs include:

1. Healthiest Wisconsin 2020

This is a 10 year plan by the state to improve the overall health and wellness of it residents. Of its 23 areas of focus, one is dedicated to decreasing the rates of drug and alcohol abuse in Wisconsin through the provision of intervention, screening, and prevention services especially to the most-at-risk populations.

2. Standing Order for Naloxone

Wisconsin also has a standing order that permits pharmacies to sell naloxone. This lifesaving antidote works to reverse the adverse effects of an opioid overdose. Through this standing order, therefore, people who have a high risk of overdosing on this class of drugs as well as those who might be able to help them can get the drug without a prescription.

3. Good Samaritan Law

Wisconsin changed its Good Samaritan Law in 2014. Today, it protects people who witness and report incidents of drug and alcohol overdose. As such, it enables more people both substance abusers and those close to them to seek for emergency medical help when they need it the most.

If you are struggling with a substance use disorder, you should also know that Wisconsin has many addiction treatment and rehabilitation facilities that can help you overcome your chemical and psychological dependence on drugs/alcohol. The first step to ongoing recovery, however, will require that you find the right center and enroll into its program.