THE DRUG-USE PATTERNS OF GIRLS AND BOYS UNDER 18 YEARS OF AGE ARE SIMILAR WHEN SUCH DRUGS AS ALCOHOL, HALLUCINOGENS, AMPHETAMINES, TRANQUILIZERS, AND INHALANTS ARE USED. ACCORDING TO SIX YOUTH SURVEYS, HIGHER PERCENTAGES OF BOYS USE MARIHUANA, WHILE HIGHER PERCENTAGES OF GIRLS USE BARBITURATES. HEROIN AND COCAINE ARE RARELY USED BY YOUTHS UNDER 18 YEARS. THE PREVALENCE RATES FOR MARIHUANA AND ALCOHOL USE HAVE BEEN INCREASING FOR BOTH BOYS AND GIRLS. A PROFILE OF THE ADOLESCENT FEMALE DRUG USER AND THE COMBINATION OF FORCES THAT MAY BE RESPONSIBLE FOR HER DRUG-TAKING BEHAVIOR ARE EXAMINED. PEER RELATIONS, FAMILY PATHOLOGY AND FRAGMENTATION, SEXUAL DEVELOPMENT AND SEXUALITY, LONELINESS AND REBELLION, AND OTHER PSYCHOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS ARE DISCUSSED AS SOME OF THE PRIMARY MOTIVATING FACTORS IN GIRLS' INVOLVEMENT IN DRUG USE. THESE CAUSES HAVE BEEN DOCUMENTED IN THE LITERATURE BY THOSE WHO HAVE STUDIED AND/OR TREATED FEMALE DRUG ABUSERS. A REVIEW OF THE DATA FROM DRUG TREATMENT PROGRAMS SHOWS THAT DRUG-FREE OUTPATIENT PROGRAMS ARE THE PREDOMINANT DRUG TREATMENT AGENCIES SERVING GIRLS, BUT AS YET, THERE IS LITTLE INFORMATION AVAILABLE ON TREATMENT OUTCOMES FROM THESE AGENCIES. IT APPEARS THAT GIRLS WHO ENTER TREATMENT HAVE TO CONTEND WITH A NUMBER OF INEQUITIES, MISCONCEPTIONS, AND BIASES WITHIN THE TREATMENT MILIEU. MANY DRUG TREATMENT PROGRAMS ARE NOT ADEQUATELY STRUCTURED OR EQUIPPED TO ADDRESS THE SPECIAL SOCIAL, PSYCHOLOGICAL, AND MEDICAL NEEDS OF GIRLS. IT IS CLEAR THAT FUTURE RESEARCH AND PLANNING FOR DRUG TREATMENT PROGRAMS MUST VIEW FEMALE ADOLESCENTS AS A UNIQUE AND DISTINCT TARGET POPULATION IN TERMS OF THE NETWORK OF CAUSES AND TREATMENT ASSOCIATED WITH DRUG ABUSE. SUPPORTING TABULAR AND GRAPHIC DATA AND REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED---RCB)