Studies of licit psychotropic drugs, utilizing a variety of methodologies, which have been conducted in the United States, Australia, Canada and Europe (including the United Kingdom) are examined to describe the prevalence and patterns of use of these drugs. While no directly comparable, consistent patterns emerge both nationally and internationally, with notably higher use recorded among women and the elderly, and where identifiable, minor tranquillizers generally being the most commonly prescribed psychotropic. The necessity of moving beyond the level of quantitative data analysis in order to provide insights into the processes influencing current drug-prescribing and consumption practices is pointed out. Recommendations are made for future research directions which would address questions of the potential social and public health consequences of drug consumption, matters of particular interest to policy makers. The various methods employed in psychotropic drug use studies are described and evaluated in terms of their advantages and their appropriateness for future investigations utilizing this public health approach.