Descriptive and functional classifications of drug abusers

Polydrug (non-opiate-drug) abusers have previously been classified by a variety of typologies that can be characterized as either descriptive, functional, or a combination of both. The 2 studies in this investigation propose 2 objective scoring systems that classify polydrug users on a streetwise/straight dimension and on a self-medication/recreational-use dimension. Both scoring systems agreed with clinical impressions for 3 samples ^h ( N = 203) ^H drawn from 3 separate geographic locations. Streetwise self-medicators, straight self-medicators, and streetwise recreational users were compared on a variety of demographic variables and on the MMPI. The relationships found are discussed in terms of the categories for facilitating understanding of patterns of drug misuse and providing differential treatment strategies.