Increasing numbers of social scientists, policy makers and other socia
l commentators suggest that drug use has become a relatively common fo
rm of behaviour among young people who accept it as a 'normal' part of
their lives. Although there is quite strong empirical evidence that t
he proportion of young people using drugs at some point in their lives
is growing, there is little evidence to support the contention that i
t is so widely accepted as to be normal. Drawing on quantitative and q
ualitative data, we develop a critique of what we term the 'normalisat
ion thesis'. In doing so we argue that this thesis exaggerates the ext
ent of drug use by young people, simplifies the choices that young peo
ple make, and pays inadequate attention to the meaning that drug use h
as for them. Crucially, we argue that in their reliance on large-scale
survey data the main proponents of the normalisation thesis pay insuf
ficient attention to the normative context within which drug use occur
s.