This volume presents various theoretical orientations and perspectives of the drug abuse research field, derived from the social and biomedical sciences. The first section contains a separate theoretical overview for each of the 43 theories or perspectives. The second section contains five chapters which correspond to the five components of a drug abuse theory, i.e., initiation, continuation, transition and use to abuse, cessation, and relapse. A series of guides, devised to facilitate comparison and contrast of the theories, lists: (1) all contributing theorists and their professional affiliations; (2) classifications of the theories into four categories of one's relationship to self, to others, to society, and to nature; (3) identifications of the theories by academic discipline; (4) corresponding page numbers for each theory and its overview; and (5) a concise, comparative summary of each theory. Suggestions for the use of this reference are also included. (Author/NRB)