Deviant behavior Deviant behavior refers to behavior that does not conform to norms, does not meet the expectations of a group of a society as a whole. After birth, children begin to experience situations with others. They are taught what they should and should not do, what is good or bad, and what is right or wrong. Learning habits that conform to the customs and traditions of the groups into which the child is born develop a value system. These values ​​provide justification and motivation or for wanting to refrain from disapproved behavior. After reading this, you can see how a behavior is considered deviant, but the question is, "Why is a certain type of behavior considered deviant?" This article will look at one particular deviant behavior, namely illicit drug use, and examine why this type of behavior is labeled as deviant. Using theoretical approaches, this article will provide the reader with an explanation of why illicit drug use occurs in the first place. Throughout history, all human societies have used drugs, but until recently this was not considered deviant behavior. Drug use used to be seen only as a personal problem, but today's societies, in general, condemn drug use. There are many reasons for this perception of drug use in our society today. It is stated that “because a social process creates standards for deviance, the use of a particular drug becomes deviant only when individuals and groups define it as such” (Clinard and Meier, 2001). This is evident in the new laws and regulations against drug use, which make drug use, seen by society, as wrong and criminal. This causes the public to view drug use as deviant because society's norms have been changed. These new laws were legislatively passed because of the common myth that drug use is the cause of larger problems in society. Society is given the belief that drug users possess certain characteristics that include “low self-esteem, social incompetence, inadequate identity, easily influenced by peers, and irresponsible or foolish” (Moore and Saunders, 1999). This tells society that only troubled people use drugs. This common belief holds that people who use drugs necessarily have personal problems and lack social skills, which in turn threatens personal health and morality for the well-being of society. Furthermore, from a medical perspective, reference to encouraging drug use is considered drug abuse. The... center of the paper... drug use is considered very negative mainly due to the formal sanctions imposed by the legislator. The media portrays stereotypes of the type of people who use drugs and this only helps fuel societies' approach to tackling illicit drug use. Society at large must refrain from viewing drug use as negative, but view it as a norm for human beings. Until drug use is seen as a norm, the media and politicians will continue to see all drug use as a problem and will consider it deviant. One study that would help this problem would be if drug use had positive benefits that people who abstain from drugs do not receive. Works Cited:1. Akens, Ronald. 1998. Social learning and social structure: A general theory of crime and deviance. Boston: Northeastern University Press.2. Becker, Howard. 1963. Outsiders: Studies in the Sociology of Deviance. New York: The Free Press.3. Clinad, Marshall and Meier. 2001. Sociology of deviant behavior. 13:219-235.