Informed estimates suggest that between 7 and 8 million children ages 5 to 18 live, work and/or on the streets of urban Brazil. Accounts of drug misuse among street youths in Brazil are common. Numerous studies and media stories have reported the widespread use of inhalants, marijuana, cocaine, and Valium among street children. The use of coca paste and Rohypnol is also common. In addition, risk of exposure to HIV is rapidly becoming a topic of concern due the large number of street youths engaging in unprotected sexual acts, both renumerated and nonrenumerated. Moreover, Brazil's street children are often the targets of local vigilante groups, drug gangs, and police death squads due to these children's drug use, predatory crimes, and general unacceptability on urban thoroughfares. Many programs and other actions have been proposed for addressing the problems of Brazilian street youth, but only minimal headway has been achieved. Table, notes, author biographies and photographs, and 56 references (Author abstract modified)