Which theory describes drug use as a consequence of a malintegrated society that denies equal opportunity?

• A. Problem-behavior proneness theory
• B. Social control theory
• C. Self-control theory
• D. Anomie theory

Answer: (D)

Anomie theory explains drug use as a response to a malintegrated society that denies equal opportunity. When a society is poorly integrated and unequal access to the legitimate means of achieving valued goals exists, people experience strain. The norms that once guided behavior become unstable or weakened, and some individuals cope by turning to deviant ways, such as using drugs, as an alternative path or coping mechanism.

This fits best because it ties the social structure—lack of opportunity and norm breakdown—to deviant behavior, rather than focusing on individual traits or purely on social bonds. The other theories emphasize different drivers: problem-behavior proneness highlights a general tendency toward risk across behaviors, social control centers on attachments and commitments that keep people conforming, and self-control theory points to low self-control as the main predictor of deviance.