Wyoming’s Meth & Substance Abuse Conference Turns 22, with a Bigger Focus on Prevention

Wyoming’s long-running summit on addiction marked its 22nd year this week, bringing providers, public officials, and community members to Casper for two days of straight talk on trends and treatment.

Launched in 2004 as a meth-focused gathering, the event has widened its lens over time.

“It started off as meth, but we’ve grown it to substance use more broadly to make sure we’re helping our communities stay healthy,” said Rebecca Hoard, chair of the Meth and Substance Abuse Committee.

Despite progress, she said, prevention is still playing catch-up.

“We don’t do enough prevention work. A lot of families face stress, lack coping skills, and turn to drugs to deal with that.”

The human cost remains sobering. Natrona County Coroner Jim Whipps told attendees that alcohol and drugs show up frequently in death investigations, with 16 to 20 fatal overdoses a year in his county alone. Statewide, 97 overdose deaths were recorded last year, according to the Wyoming Department of Health.

“We need to build awareness and understand this is a community and state problem,” Whipps said. “It’s on all of us to step up and help families.”

While the primary drug of concern can shift year to year, Hoard said meth continues to be a major driver of harm across Wyoming. The conference’s goal, she added, is to keep practitioners current on what’s changing — and what works — so prevention, treatment, and recovery efforts can move faster than the drugs do.

The original story by John Habershaw for Wyoming News Now.