Missouri Laws and Programs

The Missouri Department of Mental Health reports that the most commonly abused substance in Missouri for those entering treatment is alcohol followed by marijuana, cocaine, methamphetamine, and heroin. Abuse of these substances has the potential to not only affect the individual using them but also others including family members and individuals in the community. Substance abuse has been associated with property theft, motor vehicle crashes, school failure, low worker productively, family dysfunction, and homelessness. The department estimates that the societal cost of substance abuse comes to about $7 billion annually with most of the cost to government coming from having to [Page 528]deal with criminal behavior associated with substance abuse. As a result, the state of Missouri has developed legislation, policies and programs that are ...