ABSTRACT
Differentiating between acceptable drug use—smoking, social drinking, or even occasional marijuana use—and problem use of drugs is far from easy. Most of those who become habituated to and dependent on drugs follow a fairly standard progression: cigarettes and/or alcohol to marijuana, then on to other mood-altering substances with greater dependency potential. Yet the majority of those who smoke or drink don't follow that path. Understanding why some people progress from socially acceptable behavior to illicit drug use is extremely important. Unfortunately, a behavior pattern that consistently leads to drug use is yet to be determined.
