This text shows that leaving school and home creates new freedoms for young adults that are linked to increases in the use of licit and illicit drugs. It also shows, however, that marriage, pregnancy and parenthood create new responsibilities that are linked to decreases in drug use.

Why do some young adults substantially change their patterns of smoking, drinking, or illicit drug use after graduating from high school? In this book, the authors show that leaving high school and leaving home create new freedoms that are linked to increases in the use of cigarettes, alcohol, marijuana, and cocaine. They also show that marriage, pregnancy, and parenthood create new responsibilities that are linked to decreases in drug use.

"Your book and the statistics compiled therein are assisting me and 22 other state attorney generals in our pursuit of the tobacco industry to recoup billions of dollars spent by the taxpayers to pay the medicaid costs incurred as a result of death and illness caused by tobacco. Your studies are contributing to the demise of political support of the tobacco industry. My actions, coupled with the ammunition supplied in part by your work, will result in new measures to curtail smoking by our children and begin to tackle this health catastrophe in our country. Your book is a must-read for all government officials litigating against the tobacco industry."
—Frank J. Kelley
Attorney General, State of Michigan