Duncan, D. F., and Gold, R. S. Chapter 18: Responsibilities of
the Recreational Drug User. In: Drugs and the Whole Person. New
York: John Wiley & Sons, 1982. Every individual has needs, and
we recognize that there are many differences among individuals.
There are, however, many commonalities that make us very much
alike. One of these sets of commalities is probably a basic set
of needs that we all have. How we accomplish or satisfy these
needs varies from individual to individual—that is one of the
things that makes us different. What are these needs, and how do
they relate to drugs? Abraham Maslow (1908—1970), an American
psychologist, developed what has become known as a hierarchy of
human needs. This hierarchy begins at a low level with very
basic human needs that all of us must satisfy in order to exist;
it peaks with a need that only some of us ever accomplish. This
hierarchy is generally characterized in the following five
categories. I. Physiological needs such as food, drink, and
oxygen. 2. Safety nee