The Office of National Drug Control Policy states that although cocaine costs in Wyoming have stayed stable, the demand for the drug has decreased in recent years. Additionally, crack cocaine is accessible in Wyoming, but not in substantive amounts. In Wyoming, heroin does not pose a significant problem to law enforcement; the majority of the heroin in Wyoming is derived from sources in Utah.
Methamphetamine has emerged (in recent years) as the preferred illegal drug of choice in Wyoming, posing a grave threat to Wyoming. Due to its close relation to violent crimes, domestic violence and child abuse, meth abuse is of great concern to the Wyoming law enforcement.
In Wyoming, marijuana is also widely abused. The majority of the marijuana found in Wyoming is of Mexican origin; however, more potent marijuana hailing from British Columbia, Canada, can also be found. In Wyoming, the use of club drugs (ecstasy and GHB) is also on the rise. Although both of these drugs can be found in Wyoming, most of the supply comes from connections in Colorado. Valium-addiction is also an issue in Wyoming, as well as the dependence on painkillers, such as Vicodin, Dilaudid and Percocet/Percodan; these pharmaceuticals have been the most frequently abused substances of their kind in Wyoming.
Per the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), approximately 32,000 of Wyoming citizens age 12 or older admitted to prior month use of an illegal drug. Furthermore, approximately 157,000 Wyoming citizens admitted that using marijuana once a month was a “great risk”. In 2005, 8.5 percent of Wyoming high school students admitted to using methamphetamine at least once.
| Percent of High School Students Using Drugs, Wyoming, 2005 Drug Type and Use | Female | Male | Total |
| Lifetime marijuana use | 37.2% | 38.7% | 38.0% |
| Current marijuana use | 17.1 | 18.5 | 17.8 |
| Lifetime cocaine use | 11.4 | 9.2 | 10.2 |
| Current cocaine use | 3.0 | 4.8 | 3.9 |
| Lifetime inhalant use | 17.2 | 16.9 | 17.1 |
| Lifetime heroin use | 2.4 | 5.0 | 3.7 |
| Lifetime methamphetamine use | 8.5 | 8.5 | 8.5 |
| Lifetime ecstasy use | 6.5 | 8.2 | 7.4 |
| Lifetime illegal steroid use | 3.5 | 5.9 | 4.8 |
| Lifetime injecting drug use | 2.1 | 4.0 | 3.1 |
| Tried marijuana before age 13 years | 8.9 | 11.8 | 10.4 |
ONDCP Clearinghouse
In an effort to counter the issue of drug abuse in Wyoming, many treatment facilities have been established. The 2006 National Survey of Substance Abuse Treatment Services (NSSATS) survey states that between 2002 and 2006, there has been a minimal change in the number of treatment facilities available in Wyoming. Of the 57 of the facilities that responded to the survey, 33 were private nonprofit, and 11 were private for-profit; 44 offered outpatient care; 16 offered residential care; and 2 treatment programs and 13 physicians were authorized to provide buprenorphine treatment for opiate addiction (such as heroin addiction).
The federal, state, or local government offered funding to 44 Wyoming facilities, and 23 facilities have some form of agreement or contract with managed care establishment to aid with substance abuse treatment services. Of the total number of facilities that responded to the 2006 NSSATS survey, Wyoming had a total of 3,246 clients receiving treatment; 2,894 were in outpatient treatment. Of the entire client total, 676 were below 18 years old.
In Wyoming, the past 15 years has shown a decrease in the number of treatment admissions for alcohol abuse and an increase in the number of treatment admissions for meth and marijuana addiction.
Drug addicts must cultivate the desire to get clean in order to stand a chance of getting clean. Treatment facilities are available to help with this arduous journey.
Resources: www.findtreatment.samhsa.gov
Albany-Bosler-Buford-Centennial-Foxpark-Garrett-Jelm-Laramie-Red Buttes-Rock River-Tie Siding-Wilcox-Woods Landing-Wyoming-Basin-Burlington-Byron-Cowley-Deaver-Emblem-Greybull-Himes-Hyattville-Kane-Lovell-Manderson-Otto-Shell-Echeta-Gillette-Recluse-Rockypoint-Rozet-Sleepy Hollow-Spotted Horse-Weston-Wright-Wyodak-Baggs-Dixon-Elk Mountain-Grand Encampment-Hanna-Lamont-Leo-McFadden-Medicine Bow-Muddy Gap-Rawlins-Riverside-Ryan Park-Saratoga-Savery-Seminoe Dam-Sinclair-Walcott-Bill-Boxelder-Douglas-Glenrock-Lost Springs-McKinley-Orin-Orpha-Parkerton-Rolling Hills-Shawnee-Aladdin-Alva-Beulah-Carlile-Colony-Devils Tower-Hulett-Moorcroft-New Haven-Oshoto-Pine Haven-Sundance-Arapahoe-Atlantic City-Bonneville-Boysen-Burris-Crowheart-Dubois-Ethete-Fort Washakie-Hudson-Jeffrey City-Kinnear-Lander-Lost Cabin-Lysite-Milford-Moneta-Morton-Pavillion-Riverton-Sand Draw-Shoshoni-South Pass City-Fort Laramie-Hawk Springs-Huntley-La Grange-Lingle-South Torrington-Torrington-Veteran-Yoder-East Thermopolis-Gebo-Grass Creek-Hamilton Dome-Kirby-Lucerne-Thermopolis-Buffalo-Kaycee-Linch-Mayoworth-Saddlestring-Sussex-Albin-Burns-Carpenter-Cheyenne-Egbert-Farthing-Federal-Granite Canon-Harriman-Hillsdale-Horse Creek-Meriden-Orchard Valley-Pine Bluffs-Ranchettes-South Greeley-Afton-Alpine-Auburn-Bedford-Border-Cokeville-Diamondville-Elkol-Etna-Fairview-Fontenelle-Frontier-Grover-Kemmerer-La Barge-Nutria-Opal-Sage-Smoot-Thayne-Alcova-Allendale-Arminto-Bar Nunn-Casper-Edgerton-Evansville-Hiland-Midwest-Mills-Mountain View-Natrona-Paradise Valley-Powder River-Waltman-Hat Creek-Keeline-Lance Creek-Lusk-Manville-Node-Redbird-Riverview-Van Tassell-Clark-Cody-Frannie-Garland-Mammoth-Meeteetse-Pahaska Tepee-Powell-Ralston-Valley-Wapiti-Bordeaux-Cassa-Chugwater-Glendo-Guernsey-Hartville-Natwick-Slater-Sunrise-Wheatland-Acme-Arvada-Banner-Big Horn-Burgess Junction-Clearmont-Dayton-Leiter-Parkman-Ranchester-Sheridan-Story-Ulm-Wolf-Wyarno-Big Piney-Big Sandy-Bondurant-Boulder-Bronx-Calpet-Cora-Daniel-Marbleton-Merna-Pinedale-Bairoil-Bitter Creek-Bryan-Burntfork-Creston-Eden-Farson-Frewen-Granger-Green River-Hallville-Latham-Little America-McKinnon-Monell-North Rock Springs-Peru-Point of Rocks-Quealy-Reliance-Riner-Rock Springs-Superior-Table Rock-Thayer Junction-Wamsutter-Westvaco-Grovont-Jackson-Lake-Moose-Moran-Old Faithful-Rafter J Ranch-West Thumb-Wilson-Almy-Altamont-Aspen-Bear River-Carter-Evanston-Fort Bridger-Lonetree-Lyman-Mountain View-Piedmont-Ragan-Robertson-Verne-Ten Sleep-Worland-Clareton-Four Corners-Newcastle-Osage-Upton