Reviews the literature and states that appropriate research describing initial use of illicit drugs suggests that disruption of normal child-parent relationships, lack of involvement in organized groups and few effective peer relationships may have been predisposing factors in some individuals initiating use of illicit drugs. Research also suggests that socialization to nontraditional norms, parental modeling of licit and illicit drug use, involvement with drug-using peers and positive experiences with drugs may have been important factors in initial use for other individuals. It is concluded that both theory and research need a clear distinction between the several paths leading to initial drug abuse, particularly since separate statistical analyses may be necessary for people in each path.