The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 4 letter word ONES
I've seen this crossword clue in Independent
O
N
E
S
More clues leading to the result ONES
- Figures taking lead parts in original Nine Enchanted Stags
- Individuals not lying naked
- People
- My numbers!
- People that would be noble in bars
- Numbers taken out of telephone service
- Individuals in Doonesbury
- Individuals in “Doonesbury”
- Her majesty's personal units?
- Countess with every other character taken out for drinks?
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "using drugs (4)" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case using drugs (4) = ones.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does ONES mean?
ONES noun- The digit or figure 1.
- The neutral element with respect to multiplication in a ring.
- A one-dollar bill.
- One run scored by hitting the ball and running between the wickets; a single.
- A joke or amusing anecdote.
- A particularly special or compatible person or thing.
- (leet) Used instead of ! to amplify an exclamation, parodying unskilled typists who forget to press the shift key while typing exclamation points, thus typing "1".
- (impersonal pronoun, indefinite) One thing (among a group of others); one member of a group.
- (impersonal pronoun, sometimes with "the") The first mentioned of two things or people, as opposed to the other.
- (indefinite personal pronoun) Any person (applying to people in general).
- (pronoun) Any person, entity or thing.
- Belonging to one.
- A senior or first team (as opposed to a reserves team).
- The cells located on the ground floor.