Ecstasy, GHB, and Rohypnol are available in Missouri and many young people use these club drugs during concerts, dance clubs and other forms of socializing sometimes. Ecstasy is the street term for MDMA and is a man-made drug that either comes in pill, tablet, or capsule form. Even though there are uncomfortable side effects associated with the use of ecstasy people continue to abuse this drug. Not only does ecstasy use cause a person to tightly clench their teeth together while under the influence they can also experience nausea, blurred vision and muscle tension. Ecstasy causes blood pressure to increase and increases your heart rate too but many young people continue to use this drug socially during concerts, while partying, and in dance clubs in spite of the side effects.

The abuse of bath salts which is a designer drug and has nothing to do with bathing has been responsible for numerous emergency room visits throughout the United States. Many young people who abuse designer drugs like bath salts experience violent behavior, dangerous paranoia, hallucinations, delusions, and tremors. The use of bath salts has led some users to commit suicide while under the influence due to paranoia and delusions in some states.

Fortunately a Missouri law recently went into effect and now bath salts and synthetic marijuana called K2 and K3 are illegal according to the Missourian.

Marijuana also referred to as cannabis can be found everywhere throughout the state of Missouri. Mexican marijuana is brought into the state from the Southwest Border and accounts for most of the cannabis available within the state. A lot of adolescents and teens experiment with substance abuse and marijuana is a common drug many young people choose first. Many young and older adults throughout the state of Missouri use marijuana also.

Meth abuse continues to be a problem, some meth in Missouri is locally produced and Mexican produced meth is illegally trafficked into the state. Methamphetamines are extremely addictive and the psychological, physical and social consequences associated with abusing meth are tremendous. Some people can become addicted to meth in a very short time but recovering from this addiction can be challenging. Treating meth addiction is very complex and not always easy to recover from depending on how chronic the addiction is.

Methamphetamine is prominent in the rural areas of Missouri especially in the Southwest region including Joplin, Springfield, and Branson. Meth is also prominent in the Kansas City area too.

According to CBS News, since 2003, "Missouri has led the nation in meth lab incidents every year". This is very unfortunate because meth destroys your health quickly and in a short period of time can ruin your life. Now meth can be produced very easily while driving in a vehicle with a 2 liter soda bottle. This is a very dangerous way of making meth but it's done all of the time now and is a danger not only to the meth cook, but anyone else on the road.

Some eastern towns in Missouri now require prescriptions to purchase the key ingredient needed in making meth. Pseudoephedrine being harder to come by now in some towns is causing meth makers to go into St. Louis County to buy their pills where there is no ban according to the Missourian.

Heroin can be found throughout the state of Missouri, Mexican black tar and on a smaller scale Mexican brown heroin. The St. Louis area is where heroin use is most predominant compared to other areas. According to a report from the Missouri Department of Mental Health's Division of Alcohol and Drug Abuse in January of 2011, deaths related to heroin are on the rise in recent years in Missouri.

There were 461 deaths between 2005 and 2009 that involved heroin use which includes overdoses as well as other causes of death where the use of heroin could have been a contributing factor. 35 years old is the average age at death for heroin related deaths in Missouri and mid to late 20s is common. The report also states that "heroin related deaths are impacting Missouri's eastern region at a much greater rate than other regions in the state".

Mexican drug trafficking organizations and their Chicago connections are the main transporters of heroin in Missouri. Mexican heroin potency levels have been rising in recent years and can be somewhat compared to South American heroin now.

Cocaine can also be found in the metropolitan areas of Missouri. Cocaine and methamphetamine are the most critical drug threats in the region and Mexican drug trafficking organizations dominate wholesale distribution of cocaine and other drugs in Missouri. Cocaine appears to be highly concentrated in the urban areas, Kansas City and St Louis, and Columbia and Springfield.

Prescription drug abuse is a problem throughout the United States and many young people are turning to prescribed painkillers and stimulants to induce their high. Many adults' abuse or misuse prescription drugs too sometimes for the same reasons as young people. These aren't necessarily prescription drugs that have been prescribed for them, stimulants and pain pills are easily obtained through friends, found in their own homes, through online illicit pharmacies, and on the streets.

A 2009 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) shows that the "use of non-medical prescription drugs and over-the-counter drugs in Missouri were increasing". Treatment centers in Missouri provide therapy and recovery programs for their resident's educating them about the dangers associated with prescription drug abuse and providing comprehensive programs to help them recover.