Measurement of Strong and Weak Drug Habits: Associations to Stages of Addiction, Steps in Drug-Taking, and Drug Effects in Response to Opiate Names and Nonopiate Names

Abstract

Confirmed opiate addicts (N = 78) were asked to associate three opiate names (heroin, morphine, and methadone) and six nonopiate names [pentobarbital, alcohol, Benzedrine, “goofballs” (barbiturates), cocaine, and “reefers” (marijuana)] to stages of addiction, steps in drug taking, and drug effects. It was believed that associations to opiates would represent a strong habit since most of the subjects had been addicted (“hooked”) on one or more opiates and that associations to nonopiates would indicate a weak habit as most of the subjects had never been “hooked” on nonopiates. Weak and strong habits were alike in that, regardless of the drug, associations to “high” were given. Beyond this similarity, the patterns of associations were qualitatively and quantitatively different. For example, a strong habit was characterized by associations to advanced stages of addiction (“hooked” and “kicking a habit”), to steps in drug-taking (“preparing” and “fixing a shot”), and to drug effects (to “nod” or “scratch”). A weak habit was marked by associations to intermediate stages of addiction such as “chipping” (occasional use of drugs), as well as to beginning stages of addiction and to beginning steps in drug-taking, such as to “hustle.”