Research has shown several parent-related factors influence adolescent drug use. This study attempts to determine whether effective parenting practices have an impact on adolescent drug use above and beyond the effects of parenting on youth drug knowledge, attitudes, and perceived norms. Participants in the study consisted of 2,238 middle school students including both boys (49 percent) and girls (51 percent). Participants completed questionnaires that measured self-reported parental behavior and several drug-specific outcomes. The information assessed perceived parental behavior related to setting an anti-drug message, parental monitoring and disciplinary practices, as well as drug-related knowledge, attitudes, peer norms, and drug use behavior. Results indicate that effective parenting practices had a direct protective effect in terms of decreased adolescent drug use. In addition, the protective effect remained significant after including the effects of parenting on adolescent knowledge about the consequences and prevalence of drug use. Overall, the findings indicate that effective parenting practices had a direct protective effect in terms of adolescent drug use even after controlling for the effect of parenting on adolescent drug-related knowledge, attitudes, and perceived peer norms. Study implications and limitations are presented and discussed. Table, figures, and references