PSYCHOTROPIC DRUG USE, MISUSE, AND ABUSE OF SUBSTANCES, INCLUDING NARCOTICS, DEPRESSANTS, STIMULANTS, HALLUCINOGENS AND ALCOHOL, HAS BECOME A GROWING PROBLEM AMONG WOMEN, PARTICULARLY OF CHILDBEARING AGE. INCREASED INCIDENCE OF DRUG USE AMONG WOMEN MAY BE ASCRIBED TO SEVERAL FACTORS, INCLUDING GREATER FREEDOM IN EXPRESSING FEELINGS PUBLICALLY, PERCEPTION OF EMOTIONAL PROBLEMS AND GREATER LIKELIHOOD OF BRINGING EMOTIONAL PROBLEMS TO A PHYSICIAN. DESPITE RECENT ADVANCES IN FETAL AND NEONATAL PHARMACOLOGY, MANY PHYSICIANS CONTINUE TO PRESCRIBE DRUGS TO PREGNANT WOMEN WITHOUT CONSIDERATION OF EFFECTS UPON THE FETUS. ALTHOUGH PSYCHOTROPIC DRUG USE HAS ALWAYS BEEN HIGHER AMONG WOMEN, THE SPECIAL PROBLEMS OF FEMALE ADDICTS HAVE BEEN GIVEN RELATIVELY LITTLE ATTENTION; MOST OF THE PUBLISHED INFORMATION AVAILABLE ON HEROIN ADDICTION DESCRIBES MALE ADDICTS. FROM THOSE STUDIES THAT HAVE BEEN CONDUCTED, IT WAS CONCLUDED THAT DIFFERENCES OF PATTERNS OF SUBSTANCE ABUSE AMONG MEN AND WOMEN INVOLVE GREATER ABUSE OF SEDATIVES, HYPNOTICS, BARBITURATES OR AMPHETAMINES BY WOMEN. IN ADDITION TO DIFFERENCES IN PATTERNS OF SUBSTANCE ABUSE, WOMEN ALSO DIFFER FROM MEN IN SUCH PHARMACOLOGICAL ASPECTS AS METABOLIC RATE; FEMALES METABOLIZE SOME DRUGS MORE SLOWLY THAN MALES, RESULTING IN MORE INTENSE, LONG-LASTING EFFECTS. THE WOMEN'S DRUG RESEARCH COORDINATING PROJECT HAS PROPOSED PROGRAMS IN RECOGNITION OF WOMEN ABUSER PROBLEMS INCLUDING: (1) IDENTIFYING AND WORKING ON SEXISM AS IT EXISTS WITHIN MEDICAL STAFFS, (2) PROVIDING NECESSARY SERVICES SUCH AS CHILD-CARE FACILITIES, AND (3) ASSISTING IN MEETING BASIC SURVIVAL NEEDS INCLUDING FOOD AND CLOTHING. WITH REGARD TO MEDICAL AND SOCIAL NEEDS AS WELL AS SPECIFIC TREATMENT GOALS, DRUG ABUSE AMONG WOMEN HAS BEEN THE SUBJECT OF ONLY THE MOST BASIC RESEARCH. IN THE FUTURE, FEMALE ADDICTS SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN ALL STUDIES OF ADDICTION IN REPRESENTATIVE NUMBERS TO ALLOW SUBSTANTIVE INFERENCES ABOUT THEM. A BIBLIOGRAPHY IS PROVIDED. (LWM)