Straight-edge refers to a philosophy that's
most basic tenets promote a drug free lifestyle.
It developed as an offshoot of the punk
rock/hardcore scenes of the early 1980's when the term itself is believed
to have been coined by Ian Mackaye, in the self titled song, while
he was the singer of the seminal hardcore band, Minor Threat.
Mackaye eschewed the nihilistic tendencies
of punk rock, promoting instead the simple (almost simplistic) philosophy
of "don't drink/ don't smoke/ don't fuck."