ABSTRACT
This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book summarizes the work of forty-three theorists in the drug field, classifying drug abuse theories into one's relationship to self, to others, to society and to nature. It presents a number of controversial issues regarding drug use, placing substance abuse research in a developmental-historical context. The chapter provides insights into understanding the social context in which youths use drugs. It reviews the major recent epidemiological studies in adolescent drug abuse. The chapter demonstrates how marijuana plays a characteristic, defensive role in the user's attempt to cope with inner conflicts over competition and aggression. It provides a relationship between choice of drug and differences in early stages of psychological development. The importance of treatment programs, considering the differing needs of different groups of drug abusers, with treatment specifically related to the users' choice of drug, is emphasized.
