Which statement best distinguishes drug use, drug misuse, dependence, and addiction?

• A. Use refers to consuming a substance; misuse means using in dangerous or inappropriate ways; dependence involves tolerance and withdrawal; addiction is characterized by compulsive use despite harm.
• B. Use implies dependence; misuse implies addiction; dependence involves resistance to withdrawal; addiction means occasional use.
• C. Use is only legal substances; misuse only illicit; dependence is impossible; addiction is a legal term.
• D. Use is drug testing; misuse is prescription error; dependence is only physiological; addiction is a medical diagnosis not used in policy.

Answer: (A)

Understanding these terms is about how a person’s relationship with a substance changes from simple use to problematic, compulsive patterns. Use is just consuming a substance. Misuse means using it in a dangerous or inappropriate way—such as taking more than prescribed, using someone else’s medication, or mixing substances in risky ways. Dependence refers to the body’s adaptation to a drug, typically involving tolerance (needing more to get the same effect) and withdrawal when use stops. Addiction, or a substance use disorder, is when use becomes compulsive and continued despite clear harm, with cravings and loss of control.

This statement is the best answer because it aligns each term with its core feature: how the substance is used, the presence of physiological changes, and the presence of compulsive behavior despite harm. The other options mix up these distinctions—such as linking use to dependence, equating misuse with addiction, or tying these terms to legality or testing in ways that don’t reflect their clinical meanings.