Hard and Soft Hallucinogenic Drug Users: Their Drug Taking Patterns and Objectives

Public concern over drug abuse on college campuses has increased in recent years. Although substantial research has been devoted to the demographic characteristics of drug-taking populations, comparatively few studies have investigated the patterns and objectives of illicit drug use groups. Davis and Munoz (1968) reported differences in life styles, patterns, and meanings of drug use between heavy LSD and amphetamine users. Hindmarch(1970) found drug group differences in situational origin and objectives behind usage. A comparison of studies of hard-drug users with studies investigating Cannabis users suggests that there are differences in the social characteristics and drug-taking patterns of these groups. For instance, Suchman has noted that college students who occasionally smoke marijuana use the drug primarily as “a social form of recreation, which is far removed in nature from the traditional problem of narcotics addiction” (Suchman, 1968, p. 146). In contrast, Carey and Mandel (1968) have described the amphetamine-taking scene as a time-consuming one, a requirement for participation in which is living for the moment.In the present investigation detailed information was collected on each Ss social and demographic characteristics, drug use patterns, and preferences and motivations for drug taking. The purpose of the study was to compare the above-mentioned characteristics for a group of hard-drug users with those of matched soft- and non-drug use samples, within a college student population.