Marital status indicates whether a person is married or single. This can be extended to include other descriptors, such as divorced, widowed, cohabiting, civil union, etc., which are all seen as single from a legal standpoint. Numerous studies have been done to find trends in drug dependence within single and married groups, and it has been found that an individual’s marital status can indeed affect the likelihood of them falling victim to drug abuse. Many studies have shown that marriage actually accelerates a decrease in drug use when compared to those who remain single. But some studies found adverse result. This article reviews the impact of marital status on substance abuse. It is concluded that Marriage has been cited as a protective factor against drug use, but Several factors, such as qualitative spare time, a more mature relationship, a sense of commitment and intimacy have been affected this. We found that the quality of partner relationships was associated with lower odds of substance use. This is only true, however, for married couples who have a close and personal relationship with each other. In the absence of a close and personal relationship with a partner, being separated actually predicted more favorable substance outcomes over time, rather than being married, single, or cohabiting.
