Substance Use
Substance use is consistently identified as a top health issue in Wisconsin as a whole and Walworth County specifically. Currently, areas of specific local concern include, but are not limited to, opiate use, the drinking culture, and youth e-cigarette use. Walworth County supports efforts that work on preventing use, reducing harm from use, and increasing access to treatment.
The Next Generation of Addictive Tobacco Products
Electronic cigarettes. Little cigars. Sweet candy flavors. The next generation of addictive tobacco products is here, and most of them don’t look anything like a pack of cigarettes. Tobacco has evolved so fast, it’s tough for parents to recognize tobacco when they see it—and even tougher to talk to your kids about the terrible damage tobacco products can do. But that can change right here.
Governor Tony Evers and the Departments of Health Services and Public Instruction team for letter to school districts promoting youth e-cigarette resources
Governor Tony Evers, Department of Health Services Secretary Andrea Palm, and Department of Public Instruction Secretary Carolyn Stanford Taylor recently sent a joint letter on e-cigarettes to Wisconsin school district administrators. The letter detailed e-cigarettes' health harms for youth, outlined steps school districts can take to address the issue, and provided resources on instituting comprehensive tobacco-free school policies, integrating e-cigarettes into health curriculum, and connecting addicted youth with cessation resources.
- Read the joint letter from Governor Evers, Secretary Palm, and Secretary Stanford Taylor PDF PDF PDF PDF PDF PDF PDF PDF .
- Read the Department of Health Services public health advisory on vaping and e-cigarettes for additional details on policy solutions and actions for parents, teachers, and health professionals.
Resources
1-800- QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669)
or Text READY to 200-400
TEXT VAPEFREE to 873373
For youth and young adults: Text DITCHVAPE to 88709
First Breath is Wisconsin’s free program to help people make positive changes to their tobacco, alcohol and substance use during pregnancy & beyond!
Small Talks
The percentage of Wisconsin teens who’ve tried alcohol exceeds the national average. While underage drinking rates dropped 6% between 2013 and 2017 nationwide, Wisconsin’s rate dropped only 1% .
Small Talks is a statewide campaign encouraging adults – especially parents and caregivers – to have short, casual conversations about the dangers of underage drinking with the children in their lives starting at age eight.
New report: The Burden of Binge Drinking in Wisconsin
Binge drinking in Wisconsin costs almost $4 billion a year, which is approximately $700 per Wisconsin resident. Over two-thirds of the economic cost of binge drinking is in lost productivity. These results show a staggering economic impact to the state. The negative health and social consequences of binge drinking are far-reaching and come at a great economic cost.
The Burden of Binge Drinking in Wisconsin(link is external) PDF PDF PDF PDF PDF PDF report highlights Wisconsin state and county-level costs associated with binge drinking, a sub-category of excessive alcohol consumption. Binge drinking is responsible for the majority of the excessive alcohol consumption costs in Wisconsin and is a critical public health concern. County-level profiles are included in this report to provide estimates of the economic cost of binge drinking and other available county-level indicators to help facilitate discussion at the local level. Changes in policy and the use of evidence-based prevention strategies can reduce the negative health, social, and economic impacts of binge drinking.
This report was written by the UW Population Health Institute. It was commissioned by the Wisconsin Department of Health Services.
GET THE FACTS: Learn more about opioid use and risks associated.
TREATMENT AND RECOVERY: Find a treatment program and recovery support.
DATA: Access data and dashboards regarding opioid use at a state and local level.
DISPOSALE: Find permanent drug drop boxes for unused and unwanted medication.
PROFESSIONAL RESOURCES: Evidenced based care approaches to care.
NARCAN: Learn where to find Narcan and training in Walworth County.