Wyoming Drug and Alcohol Statistics - Methadone dot org (NAMA Recovery)

Statistical Data on Drugs in Wyoming

Wyoming faces significant substance abuse challenges despite its relatively small population. The state ranks 13th nationally for drug use problems, indicating higher-than-expected rates given its size. While Wyoming’s overall drug overdose death rate remains below the national average, the state has experienced substantial increases in overdose deaths, methamphetamine-related arrests, and opioid-related fatalities over the past decade. Notably, Wyoming has the highest rate of prescription opioid involvement in overdoses nationally, and the state’s rehabilitation costs are among the highest in the nation. The data reveals evolving patterns in substance use, with marijuana and methamphetamine being the most commonly abused drugs, and a concerning shift from alcohol-involved to drug-involved arrests in recent years

Drug Overdose Deaths

Overall Overdose Statistics

126 drug overdose deaths per year (recent data)
2.26% of all deaths in Wyoming are from drug overdose
21.9 deaths per 100,000 residents (35.41% less than national average)
0.12% of nationwide overdose deaths occur in Wyoming
Overdose deaths increased by 55.32% over a 3-year period

Wyoming Drug Overdose Statistics

While Wyoming’s per-capita overdose death rate remains below the national average, the dramatic 55% increase over three years signals a rapidly worsening crisis that requires immediate attention.

Historical Overdose Death Rate Trends

Year	Rate per 100,000
2007	13.0
2009	11.6
2011	15.2
2021	18.9

Overdose death rates have increased by approximately 46% from 2011 to 2021, though Wyoming’s rates remain significantly lower than the national rate.

Opioid Crisis Statistics

Opioid Overdose Deaths

86 opioid overdose deaths in 2023
15.0 deaths per 100,000 residents (37.5% less than national rate)
63.7% of all overdose deaths involve opioids
66.3% of opioid overdose deaths involve synthetic opioids (like fentanyl)
39.5% of opioid overdose deaths involve prescription opioids (highest rate nationally)

Wyoming Opioid-Overdose Deaths Statistics

Wyoming has a unique opioid crisis profile—while synthetic opioid involvement is the lowest nationally at 66.3%, prescription opioid involvement is the highest at 39.5%.

Historical Opioid Death Trends

Year	Opioid Deaths
2009	32
2010	45
2011	41
2012	46
2013	47
2014	52
2015	45
2016	46
2017	42
2018	40
2019	46
2020	60
2021	69
2022	81
2023	86

Opioid deaths more than doubled from 2009 to 2023, with a particularly sharp increase beginning in 2020.

Opioid-Related Health Impacts

9.1 per 1,000 births diagnosed with neonatal Opioid Withdrawal syndrome (2020)
2.8 per 1,000 births diagnosed with neonatal abstinence syndrome (2020)
Doctors write enough prescriptions for 43.0% of residents to have one
1.0 new cases of hepatitis C per 100,000 linked to intravenous drug use (2022)
1.3 new HIV/AIDS diagnoses per 100,000 connected to intravenous drug use (2023)

The high prescription rate (43% of population) directly correlates with Wyoming’s nation-leading rate of prescription opioid involvement in overdoses, while neonatal withdrawal cases indicate multi-generational impacts.

Drug-Related Deaths Comparison

Wyoming Drug Deaths vs. Other Causes (2007)

Drug-induced deaths: 68
Motor vehicle accidents: 134
Firearms: 76

Wyoming Drug Deaths vs. Other Causes (2009)

Drug-induced deaths: 63
Motor vehicle accidents: 107
Firearms: 96

Drug deaths have increased from being less than half of motor vehicle deaths to potentially approaching parity in recent years given the 55% increase in overdose deaths.

Substance Use Prevalence

Youth (Ages 12-17)

Drug Use Rates

5.85% used illicit drugs in the past month
3,000 reported recent drug use
Teenagers are 19.35% less likely to have used drugs than average American teens
66.67% of youth drug users reported marijuana use
8.84% used marijuana in the past year
7.1% used marijuana in the past month (2017-2019)

Wyoming youth show lower-than-national drug use rates, but marijuana remains the dominant substance.

Specific Drug Use Among Youth (Past Year)

Marijuana: 8.84%
Cocaine: 0.13%
Methamphetamine: 0.14%
Pain relievers (misuse): 2.24%
Hallucinogens: 2.18%

While overall drug use is lower than national rates, Wyoming youth have notably higher marijuana use rates, though these have declined significantly over the past 15 years.

Youth Substance Use Disorders

6.25% met criteria for Drug Use Disorder
3.37% met criteria for Alcohol Use Disorder
5.24% had Drug Use Disorder (ages 12-17)
9.43% had any Substance Use Disorder

First-Time Use Among Youth (2017-2019)

Alcohol: 9.2% (similar to national 9.3%)
Marijuana: 4.4% (similar to national 5.2%)
Cigarettes: 2.8% (similar to national 2.3%)

Initiation rates align with national averages, suggesting prevention efforts are neither significantly better nor worse than other states.

Young Adults (Ages 18-25)

Drug Use Statistics

12,000 young adults used drugs in the past month
23.18% less likely to use drugs than average American young adults
20.64% used illicit drugs in the past month
31.60% used marijuana in the past year (29.8% in 2017-2019)
19.46% used marijuana in the past month

Young adults in Wyoming show significantly lower drug use rates than national peers.

Specific Drug Use Among Young Adults (Past Year)

Cocaine: 2.97%
Heroin: 0.21%
Hallucinogens: 6.47%
Methamphetamine: 0.85%
Pain reliever misuse: 2.80%

Young Adult Substance Use Disorders

28.49% had any Substance Use Disorder
17.75% had Drug Use Disorder
5.6% had Illicit Drug Use Disorder (2017-2019)
3.7% had Marijuana Use Disorder (2017-2019)
1.05% had Pain Reliever Use Disorder
0.8% had Opioid Use Disorder (2017-2019)

11.7% had Alcohol Use Disorder (2017-2019)

While drug use disorders are below national rates, Wyoming young adults have notably higher rates of alcohol use disorder.

Adults (All Ages 12+)

Overall Drug Use Prevalence

55,000 (11.18%) used illicit drugs in the past month
7.07% reported past-month illicit drug use (2009-2010), below national 8.82%
6.82% reported past-month illicit drug use (2007-2008), below national 8.02%
80,000 (16.45%) used marijuana in the past year
49,000 (10.10%) used marijuana in the past month
12.4% used marijuana in past year (2017-2019)

Wyoming consistently maintains illicit drug use rates 15-20% below national averages across multiple survey periods.

Specific Drug Use Rates (All Adults)

Illicit drugs other than marijuana: 3.61%
Cocaine (past year): 1.17%
Heroin (past year): 0.13% (2017-2019)
Hallucinogens (past year): 2.81%
Methamphetamine (past year): 1.43%
Prescription pain reliever misuse: 3.26%
Opioid misuse: 3.20%

Non-Medical Drug Use

19.2% of adults reported using prescription drugs non-medically or illicit drugs (excluding cannabis) in past year
Wyoming ranks 39th nationally for this measure

Nearly one in five Wyoming adults misuses prescription drugs or illicit drugs annually.

Adult Substance Use Disorders

93,000 (19.15%) had any Substance Use Disorder
43,000 (8.88%) had Drug Use Disorder
9,000 (1.81%) had Pain Reliever Use Disorder
9,000 (1.90%) had Opioid Use Disorder
7.0% had Substance Use Disorder (2017-2019)
1.9% had Illicit Drug Use Disorder (2017-2019)
0.6% had Opioid Use Disorder (2017-2019)
6.0% had Alcohol Use Disorder

Nearly one in five Wyoming residents meets criteria for substance use disorder.

Risk Perceptions

18.74% perceive great risk from smoking marijuana monthly
64.77% perceive great risk from using cocaine monthly
80.46% perceive great risk from trying heroin once or twice

Lower perceived risk for marijuana may contribute to higher usage rates, while cocaine and heroin are appropriately viewed as highly dangerous.

National Rankings and Comparisons

Drug Use Rankings

Overall drug use: Wyoming ranks 13th worst nationally
Illicit drug use – youth: Wyoming ranks 4th best (lower use)
Non-medical drug use (adults): Wyoming ranks 39th
Law enforcement ranking: Wyoming ranks 1st (suggesting strong enforcement)
Drug health issues & rehab: Wyoming ranks 29th

Wyoming Drug Use Rankings Statistics

Rate Comparisons to National Averages

Youth drug use: 19.35% less likely than average American teen
Young adult drug use: 23.18% less likely than average American young adult
Adult illicit drug use: Consistently 15% below national rates
Youth alcohol use: 18.90% more likely than average American teen
Young adult alcohol use disorder: Higher than national average (11.7% vs 9.8%)
Overdose death rate: 35.41% less than national rate
Opioid overdose death rate: 37.5% less than national rate

Wyoming presents a paradox—lower-than-average drug use rates but disproportionately high drug problems, suggesting that while fewer people use drugs, those who do face more severe consequences.

Treatment Statistics

Treatment Access and Capacity

60 active substance abuse clinics in Wyoming
2,499 clients serviced annually for drug rehab
2,233 clients enroll in outpatient services annually
236 clients enroll in residential (non-hospital) services
30 clients are in hospitals for drug rehab
No facility offers free drug rehab treatment for all patients
57 drug and alcohol rehabs (as of 2006)
16 facilities offered residential care (2006)
2 facilities certified to treat opioid addiction (2006)

Treatment capacity appears limited relative to need.

Treatment Enrollment Trends

3,261 people enrolled in substance use treatment (2015)
2,499 people enrolled in substance use treatment (2019)
23% decrease in enrollment from 2015 to 2019

Wyoming Treatment Enrollment Trends Statistics

Declining treatment enrollment despite increasing overdose deaths suggests significant gaps in treatment access or utilization.

Treatment Focus Areas (2019)

26.9% received treatment for drug problem only
32.4% received treatment for alcohol problem only
40.6% received treatment for both drug and alcohol problems

The majority of patients require treatment for drug-related issues, though nearly a third still seek treatment exclusively for alcohol problems.

Treatment Admissions by Primary Drug (2010)

Marijuana: 1,010 people (74.2% male, 24.8% female)
Other Opiates: 270 people
Amphetamines: 687 people
Cocaine: 75 people
Marijuana was the most commonly cited drug among treatment admissions

Marijuana led all substances for treatment admissions, though methamphetamine (amphetamines) accounted for the second-highest number.

Medication-Assisted Treatment

227 people receiving buprenorphine (2019)
73 people receiving buprenorphine (2015)
211% increase in buprenorphine treatment from 2015 to 2019

Wyoming Medication Assisted Treatment Statistics

The tripling of buprenorphine use indicates growing adoption of evidence-based opioid treatment.

Treatment Need vs. Access

32,000 (6.59%) received substance use treatment in past year
101,000 (20.63%) classified as needing substance use treatment
74,000 (69.40%) classified as needing treatment did not receive it
Among youth (12-17): 12.73% needed treatment
Among young adults (18-25): 35.28% needed treatment, 80.50% did not receive it
Among adults (26+): 19.31% needed treatment, 67.30% did not receive it

A staggering treatment gap exists—approximately 70% of those needing substance use treatment do not receive it.

Treatment Costs

Rehabilitation Costs

Wyoming ranks 46th and is the most expensive state for residential drug abuse treatment (non-hospital)
Wyoming is the most expensive state for outpatient rehabilitation services
Average individual outpatient cost: $2,069
Average individual residential cost: $65,975

Public Spending on Treatment

$4.62 million (0.2%) of U.S. public total spent on outpatient services in Wyoming
$15.57 million (0.3%) of U.S. public total spent on residential treatment in Wyoming

Wyoming Treatment Public Spending Statistics

Wyoming’s treatment costs are the highest nationally for both outpatient and residential care.

Methamphetamine Crisis Evolution

2003: 26 meth lab seizures
2007: 5 meth lab seizures
2009: Zero meth lab seizures
2011-2024: Arrests more than doubled (420 → 1,100)

While domestic meth production (labs) has been virtually eliminated, meth use and arrests have surged, indicating the drug is now imported rather than locally manufactured.

Arrest and Criminal Justice Statistics

Overall Arrest Patterns (2019)

11,788 total reported arrests
Methamphetamine involved: 10.60% (1,250 arrests)
Marijuana involved: 12.09% (1,425 arrests)
All drugs involved: 21.00%
Public intoxication: 12.87%
DUI arrests: 27.78% (3,275 arrests)

More than one in five arrests involve drugs.

2024 Arrest Statistics

10,481 total reported arrests
Methamphetamine involved: 10.5% (1,100 arrests)
Marijuana involved: 9.69% (1,016 arrests)
All drugs involved: 22.84%
Public intoxication: 7.35%
53 custodial arrests involving fentanyl (Casper PD only)

Wyoming Drug Arrests Statistics

Drug-involved arrests increased to nearly 23% of all arrests by 2024, while public intoxication arrests decreased significantly.

Ten-Year Arrest Trends (2010-2019)

Alcohol-involved arrests decreased by 7,933 (58% decrease)
Drug-involved arrests increased by 584 (24% increase)
Meth-involved arrests more than tripled since 2011 (420 in 2011 → 1,250 in 2019)
Marijuana arrests: No clear trend since 2014; increased initially, then slight decrease

A dramatic shift from alcohol to drug-involved arrests reflects changing substance abuse patterns and possibly evolving enforcement priorities.

Counties with Highest Meth Arrests (2019)

Laramie: 281 arrests (13.5% of county total)
Natrona: 240 arrests (11.33%)
Campbell: 216 arrests (15.93%)
Carbon: 67 arrests

Counties with Highest Meth Arrests (2024)

Natrona: 366 arrests
Laramie: 158 arrests
Campbell: 126 arrests
Fremont: 99 arrests

Natrona County saw a 53% increase in meth arrests from 2019 to 2024, while Laramie County’s decreased by 44%.

Counties with Highest Marijuana Arrests (2019)

Campbell: 232 arrests (17.11%)
Laramie: 217 arrests (10.42%)
Natrona: 161 arrests (7.6%)
Uinta: 126 arrests

Counties with Highest Marijuana Arrests (2024)

Natrona: 255 arrests
Laramie: 152 arrests
Sweetwater: 134 arrests
Campbell: 78 arrests

Marijuana arrests declined 48% overall from 2017 (1,970 arrests) to 2024 (1,016 arrests).

Driving Under the Influence (DUI) Statistics

Overall DUI Patterns

DUI arrests account for ~27% of all custodial arrests annually
One-third of all traffic fatalities result from impaired driving
12.09% of DUI arrests involved drugs (2019)
19.33% of DUI arrests involved drugs (2024)
60% increase in drug-involved DUI from 2019 to 2024

Drug-impaired driving is rapidly increasing, nearly doubling as a percentage of DUI arrests in just five years.

DUI Arrest Details (2019)

3,275 DUI arrests statewide
12.09% involved drugs
Average BAC: 0.1564
48% of DUI arrestees had BAC above 0.16
13% had BAC of 0.24 or greater
Average BAC in traffic crashes: 0.1607

2024 DUI Statistics

3,058 DUI arrests statewide
602 arrests involved drugs
476 more DUI arrests than in 2023
Average BAC in crashes: 0.1707

Wyoming 2024 Drug DUI Statistics

Counties with Highest DUI Rates (2019)

Lincoln: 53.98% of all arrests
Sublette: 44.57%
Sweetwater: 43.74%

Counties with Highest DUI Numbers (2024)

Laramie: 485 arrests (135 drug-involved)
Natrona: 392 arrests (90 drug-involved)
Sweetwater: 329 arrests (70 drug-involved)

Drug-Involved Traffic Crashes (2024)

24.58% of traffic crashes resulting in arrests involved drugs

Natrona: 18 drug-involved crashes
Sweetwater: 18 drug-involved crashes
Laramie: 16 drug-involved crashes

Nearly one in four traffic crash arrests now involve drugs.

Juvenile and Underage Statistics

Youth Arrests (2024)

103 total juvenile arrests (less than 1% of all arrests)
3 juvenile arrests involved methamphetamine
10 juvenile arrests involved marijuana
16 total drug-involved juvenile arrests (15.53%)

Juvenile arrests remain relatively low.

Wyoming faces a complex substance abuse crisis characterized by rising overdose deaths, surging methamphetamine use, persistent opioid problems, and the nation’s highest treatment costs coupled with the lowest treatment access rates. While overall drug use rates remain below national averages, the severity of consequences—including overdose deaths, arrests, and disorders—places Wyoming among the states with the most significant drug problems nationally. The dramatic shift from alcohol to drug-involved crimes over the past decade indicates an evolving crisis requiring enhanced treatment capacity, particularly for the 70% of those needing but not receiving care.

Statistical Data on Alcohol in Wyoming

Wyoming faces significant challenges related to alcohol consumption and abuse, ranking among the states with the highest rates of alcohol-related deaths per capita in the United States. The state’s data reveals concerning patterns across all age groups, from underage drinking to adult binge drinking, with substantial economic and social costs. This comprehensive report synthesizes available data on alcohol consumption patterns, health impacts, criminal justice involvement, and associated costs in Wyoming, drawing from multiple state and federal sources spanning 2002-2024.

Alcohol-Related Deaths and Health Impacts

Overall Death Statistics

Total annual deaths: 347 deaths attributable to excessive alcohol use
Death rate: 1 death per 1,662 people aged 18+ (7.82 deaths per 10,000 adults)
Trend: 5-year average annual rate increased by 47.6% from 2015 to 2019
Years of potential life lost: 9,249 years annually

Wyoming Alcohol Deaths Statistics

The substantial increase in alcohol-related deaths over a five-year period indicates a worsening public health crisis.

Demographics of Alcohol-Related Deaths

Demographic Category	Percentage
Male deaths	70.3%
Female deaths	29.7%
Deaths from chronic causes (e.g., Alcohol Use Disorder)	60.8%
Deaths from acute causes	39.2%
Deaths aged 35+	85.0%
Deaths under age 21	2.59%

The gender disparity shows men are more than twice as likely to die from excessive alcohol use.

Alcohol Consumption Patterns by Age Group (2021-2022)

Past-Month Alcohol Use

Age Group	Number (thousands)	Percentage
12+ (total population)	235	48.18%
12-17 (youth)	3	6.70%
18-25 (young adults)	32	55.05%
26+ (adults)	200	52.38%
18+ (all adults)	232	52.73%
12-20 (underage)	9	14.01%

Young adults aged 18-25 show the highest rate of alcohol consumption at 55%, surpassing both older adults and the overall population average.

Past-Month Binge Drinking

Age Group	Number (thousands)	Percentage
12+ (total population)	107	21.82%
12-17 (youth)	2	3.53%
18-25 (young adults)	18	31.51%
26+ (adults)	87	22.65%
18+ (all adults)	105	23.83%
12-20 (underage)	6	8.99%

Nearly one in three young adults engage in binge drinking monthly, the highest rate among all age groups.

Additional Binge Drinking Statistics (Adults 18+)

Median binge frequency: 1.5 times per month
25% most active drinkers: Binge 4.1 times per month
Median drinks per binge: 5.5 drinks
25% most active drinkers: 7.5 drinks per binge

Wyoming Alcohol Binge Drinking Statistics

The frequency and intensity of binge drinking among the most active quarter of drinkers indicates a subset of the population engaging in particularly hazardous drinking patterns.

Youth and Underage Drinking

High School Students (Grades 9-12, 2009)

Behavior	Percentage
Had at least one drink in lifetime	71.8%
First drink before age 13	26.1%
At least one drink in past 30 days	41.7%
Binge drinking in past 30 days (5+ drinks)	27.8%
Drank on school property in past 30 days	6.4%

The alarming statistic that more than one in four teens had their first drink before age 13 is particularly concerning.

Underage Consumption Patterns

Percentage of all alcohol sold to underage drinkers (2006-2008): 23%
Percentage of all alcohol consumed by underage drinkers (2009): 23.1%
National ranking for percentage consumed underage: #28
Average drinks per day (underage): 4.8 drinks
Average drinks per day (legal adults): 2.0 drinks

Wyoming Alcohol Underage Consumption Patterns Statistics
Underage drinkers consume more than double the daily amount of alcohol compared to legal drinkers, indicating particularly dangerous consumption patterns.

Women of Childbearing Age

Percentage of women aged 18-44 reporting binge drinking in the past month

Year	Wyoming Rate	U.S. Overall Rate
2023	18.0%	17.6%

Wyoming’s rate raises concerns about potential fetal alcohol exposure and long-term health consequences for women and future children.

Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD)

Past-Year Alcohol Use Disorder Prevalence (2021-2022)

Age Group	Number (thousands)	Percentage
12+ (total population)	57	11.74%
12-17 (youth)	2	3.29%
18-25 (young adults)	11	19.28%
26+ (adults)	45	11.65%
18+ (all adults)	56	12.66%
12-20 (underage)	4	5.64%

Nearly one in five young adults meets criteria for alcohol use disorder, representing the most affected age group.

Perceptions of Risk

Perception of Great Risk from 5+ Drinks Once or Twice Weekly (2021-2022)

Age Group	Number (thousands)	Percentage
12+ (total population)	200	40.93%
12-17 (youth)	19	39.36%
18-25 (young adults)	20	34.04%
26+ (adults)	161	42.18%
18+ (all adults)	181	41.10%
12-20 (underage)	25	38.25%

Nearly two-thirds of the population does not perceive regular heavy drinking as a great risk, suggesting a need for enhanced public health messaging about alcohol dangers.

Treatment Statistics

Addiction Treatment Admissions (2010)

Alcohol dependence only: 2,176 people
Alcohol dependence with secondary drug: 1,738 people
Total alcohol-related treatment: 3,914 people

The significant number requiring treatment for both alcohol and additional substances suggests polysubstance abuse is common.

Youth Treatment Admissions

2009: 635 youth aged 12-20
Percentage of all alcohol treatment admissions: 16%

The fact that 16% of all alcohol treatment in the state involves minors highlights the severity of underage drinking issues.

Underage Drinking-Related Harm (2009)

Traffic Incidents

Fatal crashes: 13 deaths
Nonfatal injuries: 433 injuries

Criminal Activity

Homicides: 2
Nonfatal violent crimes: 1,300 (rape, robbery, assault)
Property crimes: 3,000 (burglary, larceny, car theft)

Other Harms

Alcohol-involved fatal Burns/drownings/suicides: 1
Teen pregnancies: 38
Teens engaging in risky sex: 1,839

The wide-ranging harm from underage drinking extends far beyond health consequences to include violence, property crime, and risky sexual behavior.

Economic Costs

Total Costs to Wyoming Taxpayers

2010: $593.1 million
2022 (inflation-adjusted): $800.7 million
Cost per drink: $3.15 (2022 dollars)

The substantial economic burden of excessive alcohol use far exceeds the retail price and reflects the hidden costs of healthcare, law enforcement, lost productivity, and other social impacts.

Underage Drinking Costs (2010)

Category	Cost (millions)	Percentage of Total
Youth Violence	$66.6	39.9%
Youth Traffic Crashes	$47.0	28.2%
Youth Alcohol Treatment	$23.4	14.0%
High-Risk Sex (Ages 14-20)	$12.8	7.7%
Youth Property Crime	$7.7	4.6%
Youth Injury	$5.9	3.5%
FAS Among Mothers Age 15-20	$1.9	1.1%
Poisonings and Psychoses	$1.5	0.9%
Total	$166.8	100%

Additional underage drinking cost metrics:

Total cost: $0.2 billion ($200 million)
Cost per youth in state: $3,136 per year
Cost per drink consumed underage: $3.99
Direct costs (medical care and work loss): $72 million annually
Direct cost per drink: $1.72
Retail price per drink: $1.13
Harm per youth (U.S. prices): $1,091

Wyoming Alcohol Underage Drinking Costs Statistics

Youth violence and traffic crashes account for nearly 70% of all underage drinking costs.

Underage Drinking Sales and Industry Impact (2009)

Total alcohol sales to underage drinkers: $47 million (2010 dollars)
Industry profits from underage sales: $23 million
Average sales per underage customer: $1,971

Despite being illegal, underage alcohol sales generate substantial revenue for the alcohol industry.

Alcohol and Crime

Overall Arrest Statistics

Year	Total Custodial Arrests	Alcohol-Involved Arrests	Percentage
2019	11,788	5,712	48.46%
2024	10,481	5,510	52.58%
2011	Not specified	13,412	Not specified

Alcohol remains involved in more than half of all custodial arrests in Wyoming, indicating it is a primary driver of criminal justice involvement.

Specific Alcohol-Related Offenses (2024)

Offense Type	Number of Arrests	Percentage of Total Arrests
Driving Under the Influence (DUI)	3,058	29.18%
Public Intoxication	770	7.35%

DUI arrests alone account for nearly one-third of all custodial arrests in Wyoming, making it the single largest arrest category.

DUI by Age Group (2024)

Age Group	Percentage of DUI Arrests
21-25	14.81%
31-35	13.83%
26-30	13.64%

Young adults (21-30) account for 28.45% of all DUI arrests, with the 21-25 age group showing the highest rate.

County-Specific Alcohol Involvement in Arrests

2019 Counties with Highest Alcohol Involvement

Teton County: 76.84%
Sweetwater County: 76.75%
Sheridan County: 68.76%

2024 Counties with Highest Alcohol Involvement

Teton County: 80.09%
Fremont County: 68.06%
Lincoln County: 66.44%

Teton County consistently shows the highest alcohol involvement in arrests.

Juvenile Arrests (2024)

Total juvenile arrests involving alcohol: 31
Percentage of juvenile arrests involving alcohol: 30%

Alcohol is a significant factor in juvenile criminal behavior.

Public Opinion and Support for Interventions

Survey Results (4,798 Wyoming Residents)

Issue	Response	Percentage
View alcohol abuse by adults as serious/somewhat serious problem	Yes	79.7%
Would support law prohibiting sale/service to obviously intoxicated persons	Strongly support	64.3%
Would support law prohibiting sale/service to obviously intoxicated persons	Somewhat support	17.9%
Would support law prohibiting sale/service to obviously intoxicated persons	Total support	82.2%
Believe drinking and driving is serious/somewhat serious problem in community	Yes	84.5%

There is overwhelming public recognition of alcohol problems in Wyoming.

This data demonstrates that alcohol abuse represents a multifaceted crisis in Wyoming affecting public health, public safety, the economy, and quality of life across all age groups and communities.

Conclusion

In general, Wyoming faces a dual crisis: while drug and alcohol use rates remain below national averages, the consequences are disproportionately severe, ranking 13th nationally for drug problems and among the highest for alcohol-related deaths. The dramatic 55% increase in overdose deaths, surge in methamphetamine arrests, and shift from alcohol to drug-involved crimes signal rapidly evolving threats.

Most concerning is the treatment gap—70% of those needing substance abuse care don’t receive it, compounded by Wyoming having the nation’s highest rehabilitation costs. The economic burden exceeds $800 million annually for alcohol alone, while thousands of residents across all age groups struggle with addiction in a state with limited, expensive treatment infrastructure.