Drug use in human society cannot be understood without considering the function of ritual which is integral to such use. Clearly there are some rituals which tend to control use and reduce its complications. Others, however, may be inimical to the well being of the users. The adaptive value of a behavior, that is, how it contributes to a group's ability to survive, is a critical fact or in evaluating it. Adaptiveness is not an all or none phenomenon , however. A particular ritual may have both adaptive and antiadaprive qualities. We believe that the adaptive values of drug use rituals can be evaluated with, at least, some degree of objectivity . Because drug-induced altered states are a recognized facet of human life, an understanding of the rituals surrounding them has implications both for individual health and group stability.