Our society lacks a consensus regarding drug abuse, socially sanctioning it as a recreational activity for adults while viewing it also as an antisocial, self-destructive, and somewhat contagious social problem. Adolescents are particularly at risk for developing drug problems, although most of those who experiment with illicit drugs do not go on to develop chronic problems. Drug abuse results from interactions of biological, psychological, and social factors on which all human behavior rests. The known drugs of abuse include both legal and illegal substances. The evaluation should include a determination of whether chemical dependency or a mental health problem is primary, an analysis of the roles of the family and the neighborhood or subculture, and a determination whether drug abuse represents an overall antisocial adjustment rather than a treatable illness in the individual. The psychiatrist should make these issues clear to the juvenile court so that the youth is not inappropriately punished or treated. 7 references