COMPREHENSIVE DATA COLLECT BY THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON DRUG ABUSE SHOWS THAT AMONG YOUTHS AGE 12 TO 17, OVER 28 PERCENT HAVE TRIED MARIHUANA, 9 PERCENT INHALANTS, 5 PERCENT HALLUCINOGENS, 4 PERCENT COCAINE, AND 1 PERCENT HEROIN. STUDIES INDICATE THAT CONSISTENT USERS ARE PSYCHOLOGICALLY DIFFERENT FROM OTHERS, BEING MORE INTERESTED IN SENSATION-SEEKING AND SCORING LOWER IN SELF-ESTEEM, COPING, AND PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL-BEING. THEY CAN BE DIFFERENTIATED FROM OTHERS EVEN BEFORE ACTUAL DRUG USE BEGINS; REBELLIOUSNESS, UNTRUSTWORTHINESS, AND IMPULSIVENESS ARE FREQUENTLY EVIDENT. CONSISTENT TRENDS IN YOUTHFUL DRUG USE ARE REFLECTED IN GROWING PUBLIC CONCERN; NONMEDICAL DRUG USE IS BECOMING AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PHENOMENON, AND GIRLS AS WELL AS BOYS ARE NOW AFFECTED. POSSIBLE EXPLANATIONS FOR THE TREND INCLUDE PARENTAL PERMISSIVENESS, FAMILY DISORGANIZATION, AND LACK OF DISCIPLINE. AS A CONSEQUENCE OF THIS TREND, A STRONG RATIONALE HAS EMERGED FOR TEACHING PARENTS HOW TO ENGAGE IN CHILDREARING PRACTICES WHICH REDUCE DRUG RISKS. PARENTAL VALUES AND LIFE STYLES DO PREDICT ILLICIT USE, AND FAMILY THERAPY HAS PROVEN TO BE AN EFFECTIVE TREATMENT METHOD OF REHABILITATION. IN ADDITION, STUDIES INDICATE THAT YOUNGSTERS FROM CHURCH-ATTENDING CONSERVATIVE FAMILIES ARE VERY UNLIKELY TO BECOME DRUG USERS. WITH REGARD TO DRUG PREFERENCES AND PHYSIOLOGICAL DISPOSITION TO PARTICULAR SUBSTANCES, MORE RESEARCH IS NEEDED. PHYSIOLOGICAL THEORIES (I.E., EVIDENCE FOR THE HERITABILITY OF SUBSTANCE ABUSE) ARE APPROPRIATE AREAS OF EXPLORATION. EXPERIMENTAL TREATMENT PROGRAMS SHOULD BE CONSIDERED FOR THOSE WHOSE SCHOOL AND PERSONAL ADJUSTMENT IS POOR, THOSE WHOSE DRUG USE POSES ACUTE ILL EFFECTS, AND FOR THOSE WHO ARE AWARE THAT THEY HAVE A DRUG PROBLEM. SCHOOLS, FAMILY, AND CHURCHES ARE ENCOURAGED TO WORK TOGETHER TO PREVENT DRUG ABUSE. REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. (LWM)