Onset of Addiction: A First Attempt at Prediction

This study attempts to identify predictors of early heroin addiction. Natives of low social class origins are, as predicted by “social structure and anomie theory,” more likely to be addicted when young. However, social class has little impact on age of addiction among migrants. Blue-collar migrants are strikingly less likely than blue-collar natives to be addicted when young; a nonsignificant trend in the same direction is found for white-collar respondents. Findings are interpreted in terms of commitment to traditional values. Contrary to expectations based on Moynihan, family intactness is unrelated to age of addiction.