With questionnaire data from a random sample of 13,250 adolescents, we used structural equation modeling to estimate how mother-adolescent bonding, father-adolescent bonding, parental monitoring, family aggression, family drug problems, and religiosity were associated with adolescent drug use. Mother-adolescent bonding and family drug problems had modest, indirect effects on the likelihood of adolescent drug use. Fatheradolescent bonding, parental monitoring, and family aggression had relatively weak effects on adolescent drug use. Students who were religious tended not to use drugs or to have close friends who use drugs. The influence of these risk factors was similar for both females and males and for all three types of drugs. Key Words: adolescent drug use, parent-adolescent bonding, parental monitoring, religiosity. One of the current approaches to preventing adolescent drug use has been termed "risk-focused prevention" (Clayton, 1992; Hawkins, 1995; Newcomb & Bentler, 1986). Based on a public health model, the objective is to identify a variety of risk and protective factors associated with drug consumption and then implement community programs to reduce risk factors and increase protective factors. Although several family characteristics have been identified as risk and protective factors, there is uncertainty regarding how and to what extent different family characteristics may increase or decrease the likelihood that adolescents will use drugs (Clayton, 1992; Hawkins, Catalano, & Miller, 1992; Newcomb & Bentler, 1986). In addition, there has not been adequate attention given to religiosity as a protective factor. The purpose of this research is to examine several family characteristics and religiosity as risk and protective factors in adolescent drug use. PREVIOUS RESEARCH Families, religious organizations, schools, and peers are social groups where individuals form bonds and learn attitudes and values about the use of drugs. Here we summarize research on how adolescent drug consumption may be influenced by family characteristics, religiosity, educational commitment, and peers. For more complete reviews, consult Bahr and Hawks (1995), Hawkins et al. (1992), and Petraitis, Flay, and Miller (1995). Hawkins et al. (1992) identified four family characteristics that influence the likelihood of adolescent drug use: (a) low level of bonding to family, (b) poor and inconsistent family management practices, (c) family conflict, and (d) family alcohol and drug behavior and attitudes. We begin with a brief review of research on each of these four family characteristics. Bonding to Family Bonding is the amount of attachment, connection, or closeness adolescents feel toward their parents (Barber, 1997). In several theories of adolescent drug use, parent-adolescent bonding is one of the variables that tends to decrease the likelihood that adolescents will consume various drugs (Brook & Brook, 1990; Clayton, 1992; Hirschi, 1969; Petraitis et al., 1995). Using social control theory, scholars hypothesize that adolescents refrain from taking drugs because of the parent-adolescent bonds that have developed. When there are strong parent-child bonds, adolescents may respect, listen to, and desire to please their parents more than when bonds are weak. Thus, strong bonds may help adolescents resist pro-drug influences from peers. Bonding also may increase the extent to which children internalize parental values opposing substance use (Larzelere & Patterson, 1990). Some researchers have confirmed that strong bonds to parents tend to discourage initiation to drugs and that weak bonds tend to increase the likelihood of drug experimentation and use (Barnes, Farrell, & Cairns, 1986; Coombs, Paulson, & Richardson, 1991; Hundleby & Mercer, 1987; Smart, Chibucos, & Didier, 1990). This finding has been verified in different samples taken at different times using somewhat different measures of bonding. …