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Transitioning From Abuse To Dependence

To date, research on the addiction likelihood of different drugs has been conducted alongside research on individual user risk for addiction. The authors of this study attempted to bridge that work by examining the relationship between length of time between onset of abuse and dependence (LOTAD) and the addiction potential of different drugs. The expectation was that the shorter the LOTAD, the greater the addictive liability.

Researchers reanalyzed data gathered by the American Psychiatric Association Substance Use Disorders Work Group from 1,226 participants between 1990 and 1994 at five U.S. sites. Participants were recruited from both community and clinical settings.

The shortest LOTADs were observed for disorders related to cocaine and opiates, followed by marijuana and then alcohol. Women and early initiators of drug use had shorter LOTADs compared to men and other initiators of drug use.

(Ridenour, TA, Maldonado-Molina, M, Compton, WM, Spitznagel, EL, Cottler, LB: Factors associated with the transition from abuse to dependence among substance abusers: Implications for a measure of addictive liability. Drug and Alcohol Dependence 80:1-14, 2005.)

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