While alcohol abuse is a statewide problem, drug abuse in Wisconsin varies by region. In the west, methamphetamine is a major problem; in the central and eastern regions, cocaine and, increasingly, use of heroin by younger users, are of particular concern. Marijuana is the most widely available and heavily abused drug in the state.

Alcohol abuse continues to top the list of admissions to Wisconsin drug and alcohol treatment centers. As show below, the state ranks among the top in the nation for certain key indicators of alcohol abuse. In part, this comes from the low perception of drinking as a dangerous activity across all age groups. Alcohol abuse or dependency among Wisconsin’s young adults continue to rank well above national averages.

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Issues At-A-Glance, Wisconsin
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA),  December 2008

Alcohol is not the only thing being abused by more Wisconsin young people than by adults. Past-month illicit drug use in 2005 showed that 11% of all Wisconsin teenagers had used drugs, compared to 7% of adults. Perhaps not coincidentally, 11% of all patients recorded in a one-day snapshot of Wisconsin rehab facilities in 2006 were under the age of 18. Wisconsin parents who naively think their children have never been exposed to drugs should take note of the following statistics.

Office of National Drug Control Policy, Drug Policy Information Clearinghouse
State of Wisconsin Profile of Drug Indicators
February 2008

Drug and alcohol rehabilitation in Wisconsin is conducted through a network of 290 drug and alcohol treatment centers located across the state. Thirteen of these are owned by tribal governments for the benefit of Wisconsin’s Native American population. Over 130 are private nonprofit, and over 100 are private for-profit facilities. Residents should evaluate all choices carefully, as programs and treatment options vary. In general, drug and alcohol treatment in Wisconsin is conducted on an outpatient basis, though 67 of these rehab centers provide residential care. Only 15 offered opioid treatment programs as of 2006, so individuals should not assume that every program can identically address their needs. Some types of programs require state certification. In 2006, just 93 doctors and 59 programs were certified to use the controlled substance buprenorphine in treatment for opiate addiction.

Of the 23,000 admissions for drug and alcohol treatment in Wisconsin in 2006, 55% were for alcohol, one of the highest percentages in the nation. Residents suffering from alcohol or drug abuse in Wisconsin are fortunate in that 60% of all Wisconsin rehabilitation centers receive public funding of some kind, and many contract their services to hospitals and other organizations, which can help to ease the confusion of hunting the proper program through referrals.  

Most people probably never imagine that they or a loved one may end up in “rehab” someday, yet drugs are no longer strictly an inner-city problem, and any medicine cabinet in Wisconsin could contain the beginnings of a destructive drug habit. Children and young adults are terribly at risk of seeing the inside of a Wisconsin rehab facility; parents should be aware that a very high percentage of all addictions begin with exposure in adolescence to drugs or alcohol. Add to this the highly addictive qualities of modern painkillers, and sometimes it does not take deliberate abuse to end up with a problem. All individuals who suspect a substance abuse problem should seek treatment as soon as possible.