VIETNAM VETERANS RAPID RECOVERY FROM HEROIN-ADDICTION - A FLUKE OR NORMAL EXPECTATION

Between 1972 and 1974, the outcomes of army enlisted men who had serve d in Vietnam during 1970-71 were evaluated and compared with that of a matched group. This paper reports the major findings of that study wi th respect to frequency of narcotic addiction in and after Vietnam, an d the major risk. factors for Vietnam addiction and later relapse. Ext raordinary access to records facilitated drawing the sample, locating it, and verifying interview responses. The surprisingly low levels of readdiction and the rarity of addiction to narcotics alone as compared with poly-substance dependence are findings still not entirely incorp orated into public and scientific views of heroin addiction. Some defe nses against that incorporation are examined