Sign In Get Started
Prepositions before nouns

Prepositions used with drug

Drug appears with several prepositions in English. The correct choice depends on whether you mean treatment, effect, addiction, or connection.

Quick answer

Which prepositions are used with drug?

Use drug for to show purpose, as in a drug for pain. Use on drugs for drug use or influence. Use reaction to a drug or addiction to drugs with to. Of drug is uncommon except after another noun, such as the effects of the drug.

Doctors tested a new drug for migraines.
He was arrested for driving on drugs.
She had a reaction to the drug.
Researchers studied the effects of the drug carefully.

Choose the pattern by meaning

These forms are not interchangeable. Choose the construction by meaning, not by which preposition appears most often.

1
drug for + condition

Showing medical purpose

Use for to show what a medicine treats.

They developed a drug for diabetes.
This is an effective drug for chronic pain.
2
on drugs

Showing use or influence

Use on drugs for someone using or affected by drugs.

The officer suspected the driver was on drugs.
The film follows teenagers on drugs in the city.
3
reaction to a drug

Showing response or connection

Use to after nouns such as reaction, addiction, or resistance.

She had an allergic reaction to the drug.
Doctors monitored resistance to the drug over time.
4
effects of the drug

Showing relation or source

Use of after another noun to show connection.

Scientists measured the effects of the drug on sleep.
The label warns about misuse of the drug.

See the difference in context

The same subject can take different constructions because each sentence answers a different question.

Construction
Example
Meaning
of drug
the effects of the drug
used after another noun to show relation or source
on drugs
He appeared to be on drugs.
using or affected by drugs
drug for
a drug for anxiety
medicine intended to treat something
to a drug
an allergy to a drug
response or connection
with drugs
They experimented with drugs.
using or involving drugs

Common mistakes

Some combinations appear in real text but do not mean what learners often assume.

Using on after drug for treatment

Use for when talking about the condition treated.

✕ a drug on headaches ✓ a drug for headaches

Using of drug without a main noun

Of drug normally follows another noun.

✕ They discussed of the drug. ✓ They discussed the effects of the drug.

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. Researchers created a new drug ___ asthma.
2. The patient had a bad reaction ___ the drug.
3. Police believed the suspect was ___ drugs.

Check your sentence in context

Paste the complete sentence below. Linguix checks the preposition together with grammar, spelling, punctuation, and style.

Free to try · No signup required

Frequently asked questions

Why do we say on drugs?

The phrase means using drugs or being under their influence.

When do we use drug for?

Use it for medicines intended to treat a condition.

Is of drug correct?

Only in larger noun phrases such as the effects of the drug.

of, about, against, to or for racism? of, about, for, in or on friendship? of, about, for, on or to thing? of, about, for, to or with sex? of, about, on, to or for moon? "of access" or "with access"? "of accommodation" or "for accommodation"? "of accuracy" or "for accuracy"? "of action" or "in action"? "of actor", "with actor" or "by actor"? "of address" or "to address"? "of administration" or "in administration"?

Write with confidence in Linguix

Create a free account to check complete texts, apply suggestions, and save your documents.

Create a free account