maintain complete abstinence from drugs

verb phrase

1. to continue not using any drugs, especially nonmedical or illegal drugs, over time, often after treatment

   C1

   maintain + noun phrase; formal; often used in medical or addiction-treatment contextsformal

   • "She has maintained complete abstinence from drugs for one year."B1
   • "After treatment, he maintained complete abstinence from drugs."B2
   • "The program asks participants to maintain complete abstinence from drugs throughout the course."C1
   • "Clinicians often emphasize that maintaining complete abstinence from drugs reduces the risk of relapse."C1