The sample consisted of 2,229 high school students who were administered a self-report instrument containing items measuring drug use and psychosocial variables. Dependent variables included frequency of use of five gateway drugs [cigarettes, marijuana, beer, wine coolers, and liquor], degree of affiliation with drug- using peers, and perceptions of peer acceptance of drugs. Comparison groups included single-parent [both mother- and father-headed], step-parent, and intact families. Analysis conducted separately by grade level revealed significant differences between groups on drug use variables in grades 8 and 10, with adolescents from intact families reporting less frequent drug use, fewer drug-using friends, and perceptions of more peer disapproval of drug use. Several statistically significant group differences were observed with respect to perceptions of peer acceptance of drug use and the number of drug-using friends at the 8th grade level. The largest differences were found between single-parent [father-headed] and intact family groups, with adolescents from father-headed families showing more frequent beer and liquor consumption at the 10th grade level.