Adolescent children of alcoholic, depressive and normal control fathers were assessed with a variety of alcohol and drug use measures. Children of alcoholics were quite similar to the other two groups with regard to alcohol consumption, reasons for drinking, attitudes toward temperate and intemperate use of alcohol, and the typical drinking context. However, children of alcoholics, both male and female, were more likely to report drug use than children of depressives or children of normal controls. These findings suggest that although children of alcoholics are at risk for the development of alcoholism, deviant drinking practices may not be discernible in adolescence.