Alcoholism and Drug Addiction Treatment and Substance Abuse Rehabilitation Situation in Wyoming

Law enforcement data indicate that drug trafficking is not in a crises situation in Wyoming. Marijuana, heroin and crack cocaine are the major drugs trafficked in the state and the majority of the illicit drug trade is controlled by the Mexican Mafia. The bulk of drugs are smuggled in from Colorado, California and Chicago. Methamphetamine is the most abused drug in the state. Cocaine is mostly abused in the inner city areas but the demand for heroin has been on the low side.

Cocaine Addiction

The majority of powder cocaine is converted into crack cocaine and available in the major cities. The demand for crack cocaine has significantly decreased in the last decade even though the prices have not increased.

Heroin Addiction

Despite the easy availability, low price and increased purity, the demand for heroin has steadily decreased over the past decade. The majority of heroin is smuggled in from Mexico via Utah and Colorado. Local street gangs distribute the heroin in the inner cities.

Methamphetamine Addiction

Methamphetamine use continues to dominate the drug scene in Wyoming. Both locally made methamphetamine and the smuggled variety is available in the inner cities and towns and represents a serious drug threat to Wyoming. In recent years, methamphetamine arrests have exceeded arrests for all other drugs; however, clandestine methamphetamine laboratory seizures have begun to decline. Methamphetamine abuse is of great concern to Wyoming law enforcement due to its association with violent crime, domestic violence, and child abuse.


Club Drugs

Club drugs such as GHB and MDMA can be found in Wyoming, and most come from sources of supply in Colorado. Although not as popular, LSD and psilocybin mushrooms are popular “recreational drugs” on college campuses. The club drug trade is basically controlled by gangs. Recent seizures indicate the drugs are increasingly being smuggled in via the US parcel post services.

Marijuana Addiction

Marijuana is widely abused in Wyoming. Most of the marijuana encountered is of Mexican origin, although higher potency marijuana from British Columbia, Canada, can be found as well. Additionally, marijuana is grown in remote outdoor areas of the state and in smaller indoor grows.

Pharmaceutical Drugs

The abuse of pharmaceutical drugs continues to rise at an exponential rate. The most commonly abused pharmaceutical drugs include oxycontin, hydrocodone, methadone, diazepam, Lortab and Xanax. Oxycontin continues the number one prescription drug abuse in the state. These drugs are primarily obtained via prescription forgeries, “doctor shopping”, pharmacy break INS and via the internet. Some of the pharmaceutical drugs are brought into Wyoming from Mexico and Southwestern Border cities. Numerous pain management clinics have opened in every major city in the State and pose an enormous threat to the communities. These pain management clinics do injustice to patients by continually prescribing narcotics to addicts.

Substance Abuse Prevention

Recently DEA Mobile Enforcement Teams were established in response to the overwhelming problem of drug-related violent crime in towns and cities across the nation. In addition, DEA Regional Enforcement Teams were designed to augment existing DEA division resources by targeting drug organizations operating in the United States where there is a lack of sufficient local drug law enforcement. The State of Wyoming also participates in the Rocky Mountain HIDTA (High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area) to monitor the highways for drug traffickers.