In Wyoming, the effects of drug and alcohol abuse or addiction go beyond the damage to the addicts themselves. They also heavily impact families, careers, and entire communities. These effects often are pervasive, are at the center of the addicts or alcoholics thinking, and eat up enormous amounts of loved ones attentions and energies in their attempts to help. At a personal level the individual drug or alcohol user/abuser will find his physical and mental health deteriorating, predisposing him to many additional illnesses and diseases. Mental ability can be severely hampered by a reduction or elimination of the ability to think or reason rationally. At this point, the ability to reason one's way or use 'self-control' is pretty well gone. One is left with a stimulus-response mentality where the drug or alcohol is the stimulus and any response is centered around the actions needed to obtain the drug or alcohol. Reasoning - understanding right and wrong, or good or bad - has been severely hampered. Drug seeking becomes the motivation for almost all action or inaction.

While it does not present a significant law enforcement problem in Wyoming, Mexican heroin is available. Most of the heroin found in Wyoming comes from sources in Utah. In recent years, methamphetamine has emerged as the illicit drug of choice in Wyoming and is the most significant drug threat in the state. Methamphetamine abuse is of great concern to Wyoming law enforcement due to its correlation with violent crime, domestic violence and child abuse. 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. 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 diversion of prescription controlled substances is a concern in Wyoming. Valium (a benzodiazepine) and semi-synthetic narcotic painkillers (such as Vicodin, Dilaudid and Percocet/Percodan) have been identified as being among the most commonly abused and diverted pharmaceuticals in Wyoming.

Wyoming statistics show that an estimated 40,000 individuals had an alcohol abuse or dependence problem in the 2008, while an estimated 12,000 individuals had an illicit drug abuse, dependence, or addiction problem. Studies in Wyoming also shows that an estimated 38,000 individuals in Wyoming needed alcohol rehab treatment but did not receive it in 2008 and another estimated 11,000 individuals were in need of drug addiction treatment but did not receive it. An increased need for effective drug and alcohol rehab and addiction treatment in Wyoming is clearly evident as the drug problem in Wyoming continues to erode the quality life for far too many people. Lives of addicts, alcoholics and their loved ones are ruined as a result of drug or alcohol abuse and addiction. Personal heath can be ruined. Relationships and marriages are ruined by fear, anger and mistrust. Careers are ruined as a result of poor or failing performance resulting financial health often times being completely ruined as well. Entire communities can be ruined with the increased crime and violence that goes hand and hand with heavy drug use and addiction in an area.