THIS STUDY HAS BEEN DONE ANNUALLY SINCE 1974. COMPARISONS FOR THE YEARS 1976 AND 1979 ARE INCLUDED WITH COMMENTARY. IN 1979 A TOTAL OF 1,312 WERE CHARGED WITH DRUG CRIMES FOR THE FIRST TIME DURING THE 4 WEEKS CHOSEN FOR INDEPTH ANALYSIS, COMPARED TO 1,329 DURING THE SAME FOUR WEEKS IN 1978. ALTOGETHER, MASSACHUSETTS HAD ABOUT 17,277 DRUG DEFENDANTS IN 1979, COMPARED TO 17,056 IN 1978. IN 1979, THE NUMBER OF JUVENILE DRUG DEFENDANTS 15 AND 16 YEARS OF AGE INCREASED 20 PERCENT OVER 1978, 17 AND 18 YEAR OLDS DECLINED 6 PERCENT, AND THOSE BETWEEN 19 AND 21 INCREASED 15 PERCENT. THOSE OVER AGE 22 DECLINED. IN THE 1979 SAMPLE, 39 PERCENT OF THE DEFENDANTS WERE CHARGED WITH SIMULTANEOUS CRIMINAL OFFENSES IN ADDITION TO THE DRUG CHARGE, MOST PUBLIC ORDER OFFENSES OR PROPERTY CRIMES. CLASS A (HEROIN) OFFENSES HAVE STEADILY DECLINES SINCE 1976 WHILE CLASS D (MARIHUANA) OFFENSES CONTINUE TO GRADUALLY INCREASE. CHARTS PRESENT THE STATISTICAL DATA. THE COMMENTARY DISCUSSES TRENDS AND SHORTCOMINGS IN THE STUDY DATA.