Wyoming Drug and Alcohol Treatment Programs

What are the most commonly abused substances in Wyoming? How does the state compare to the rest of the country in terms of the rates of addiction and drug/alcohol related deaths and fatalities? These are all questions that you need to answer to gain a better understanding of the trends of substance abuse in the state.

According to recent surveys, it was found that addiction in Wyoming is mostly tied to opioids, methamphetamine, and alcohol. Even so, its rates of substance abuse are not quite as high as those being witnessed in other parts of the United States. Still, many individuals, communities, and families continue struggling with the adverse effects and consequences of addiction.

Statistics on Substance Abuse in Wyoming

The latest reports on admissions into addiction rehabilitation and treatment centers in the state showed that 6072 people enrolled for these services in 2010 for being addicted either to alcohol or to drugs. Of this number, 31.8 percent were female while 67.5 percent were male.

Four years before in 2006, the state only had 57 alcohol and drug rehabilitation facilities. 16 of these centers provided some form of ongoing inpatient or residential rehabilitation while 2 centers had the necessary certifications required to provide treatment for an opioid use disorder.

Even so, it seems that Wyoming has been witnessing a marked increase in the rates of methamphetamine and marijuana abuse and addiction over the past two decades. Additionally, the state has been ranked as having a higher than usual rate of alcohol use disorders than many other regions of the United States.

At the same time, however, a report from 2006 showed that the rates of illicit substance abuse in Wyoming was among the lowest in the country. Still, prescription drug abuse has been exploding across the nation affecting this state at the same time.

Commonly Abused Substances in Wyoming

Although alcohol use disorders continue wreaking havoc in the state, other drugs are commonly abused including prescription opioid medications, heroin, crack cocaine, and methamphetamine.

But what drugs are most commonly used in this state? Essentially, marijuana or cannabis was ranked among the most commonly abused drugs by people checking into addiction treatment and rehabilitation centers. It was followed closely by stimulants including methamphetamine and opioid drugs other than heroin.

Other commonly abused substances in Wyoming include:

1. Alcohol

From 2006 to 2008, surveys estimated that 23 percent of all the alcohol that was sold in this state had underage drinkers as customers. The young people of the state according to a recent state-wide report on alcohol and crime showed that Wyoming teens led the rest of the country in terms of drunk driving and binge drinking incidents.

In 2010, Wyoming saw 2176 enroll into its addiction treatment and rehabilitation centers citing an alcohol use disorder as their primary condition. An additional 1738 individuals received similar treatment for a secondary substance use disorder over and above their alcohol dependence.

Between 2013 and 2014, it was reported that 7.5 percent of the entire population of Wyoming above the age of 12 abused alcohol or were dependent on the substance. This equated to about 36,000 people.

A state report from 2016 also showed that Wyoming was experiencing high rates of arrests linked to alcohol, drunk driving, and public intoxication factors that were presenting both significant and real threats to the safety of the general public.

The same year, for instance:

• 57 % of all the custodial arrests made in the state involved alcohol
• The rates of arrests related to this substance were highest in Teton, Sheridan, and Fremont counties

2. Marijuana

Most of the people who were admitted into rehab centers in the state said that marijuana was their primary substance of abuse. In particular, 1010 people enrolled for such treatment in 2010. Of this number, 24.8 percent were female while the remaining 74.2 percent were male.

3. Opioids

Experts now believe that the rates of substance abuse involving prescription opioid pain relief medications and heroin have been climbing due to the rising prices of methamphetamines linked to government crackdowns on the distribution and production of this class of drugs.

That said, people who abuse opioids like heroin and fentanyl often develop an addiction whereas some also overdose on these drugs and even others lose their lives as a direct result.

Statistics relating to opioid use disorders in Wyoming include:

• Between 2015 and 2016, the state saw a rise in the rates of overdose deaths linked to opioids from 7.9 to 8.7 deaths for every 100,000 people
• Overdose deaths related to both prescription opioid medications and illicit opioids have been stabilizing over the past few years
• The highest number of stays at an inpatient hospital linked to opioids was witnessed in Carbon County

Although some of these statistics are somewhat discouraging, it is clear that effective addiction rehabilitation and treatment can help people overcome their opioid use disorders.

4. Other Opiates

In 2010, the abuse of amphetamine was the main reason 687 people were admitted into addiction treatment and rehabilitation centers in the state. The most commonly abused drug included opioid substances other than heroin. For this category of drugs of abuse, 270 people received ongoing treatment for their dependence and addiction.

Cocaine, on the other hand, led to 75 admissions into rehab centers across Wyoming. This was irrespective of the mode of administration of the drug, including smoking, injection, and snorting.

5. Methamphetamines

From the 1990s through to the 2000, Wyoming witnessed rising rates of meth abuse and addiction. Although these rates have been declining over the past few years, some regions have seen a rise in recent years.

On a daily basis, methamphetamine abuse, dependence, and addiction continue destroying the lives of many residents. In some cases, this drug causes users to behave violently, unpredictably, and erratically. This is why it is so commonly linked to criminal acts across the state.

A 2016 report on Alcohol and Crime in Wyoming, for instance, showed that:

• Meth was linked to 8.48 percent of all arrests made in 2016 which equals a total of 1346 arrests
• The number of arrests linked to methamphetamine rose each year from 2010 and doubled from 2013 to 2016
• Weston, Uinta, and Lincoln countries showed the highest rates of crime related to methamphetamines, in comparison to the other parts of Wyoming

Statistics on Drug Courts, Fatalities, and Injuries in Wyoming

The number of meth seizures in Wyoming have significantly gone down from 26 incidents in 2003 to 5 such incidents in 2007. By 2009, the state was among the few regions in the entire country that did not experience any of these incidents.

Even so, 3 out of every 4 arrests in Wyoming from 2006 through to 2008 were linked to alcohol. In between these years in 2007 the state lost 68 lives to drug overdose. This was in comparison to the 134 lives it lost to motor vehicle accidents and the 76 residents who lost their lives in incidents involving firearms.

That said, Wyoming had 13 deaths for every 100,000 residents in 2007. This was higher in comparison to the national averages of 12.7 deaths for every 100,000 people.

At the same time, the number of people who enrolled into addiction treatment and rehabilitation centers for a substance use disorder related to methamphetamine was still higher than similar rates at the national level. The US, for instance, saw a 6.3 percent rate of these admissions while Wyoming had 11.2 percent of people addicted to meth receiving ongoing treatment.

Between 2006 and 2008, 40 percent of all fatal motor car accidents in the state were related to alcohol abuse while a similar percentage applied to all violent altercations and victimizations.

Addiction Prevention and Treatment in Wyoming

Wyoming has been engaging in a number of awareness, prevention, and treatment programs designed to reduce the incidences of alcohol and drug abuse among its residences. These programs include:

a) The Substance Abuse Prevention Program

Through this outreach campaign, Wyoming is hoping to prevent both drug and alcohol abuse among its residents. It achieves this goal through the application of a wide variety of evidence-based and culturally appropriate strategies.

b) Alcohol Wellness Alternatives, Research, and Education Program (AWARE)

The AWARE program a brain child of the counseling center at the University of Wyoming the state has been trying to educate college-age students while teaching them how to make healthier choices with regards to alcohol and drug abuse.

The program also teaches a wide variety of harm reduction strategies to ensure that more people across the state know how to reduce their substance abuse while preventing instances of drug and alcohol use from happening in the first place.

c) Naloxone Availability

Finally, the state has made it easier for people to access Narcan or naloxone. This drug is useful for people who are suffering an opioid related drug overdose. It works by reversing the adverse effects of such an overdose potentially saving the life of the victim.

In conclusion, if you are struggling with a substance use disorder, you should try find the right addiction treatment and rehabilitation center in Wyoming to help you out. There are many such centers dedicated to providing a wide variety of recovery services to addicts looking to achieve full sobriety from drugs and alcohol.