Relatives or partners of individuals who died of drug- related causes were interviewed using a semistructured technique. They indicated 80 percent of drug users experienced a traumatic event during childhood. In most cases, this event involved divorce or death of a parent. Male drug users were significantly younger at the time of the event than females. Interviewees indicated the first signs of smoking and alcohol consumption occurred at about 15 years of age. Those who experienced a traumatic event during childhood started to smoke at a significantly lower age. Parents were smokers in 75 percent of the cases and more than 33 percent of families had a problem drinker, mostly the father. In 16 percent of drug users, a mental disturbance involving the mother was reported; in 14 percent of drug users, prescribed psychoactive drugs were used regularly. Physical violence, generally by the father, was a common phenomenon in 20 percent of investigated families. About 45 percent of victims were from families with more than one of these factors present. 26 references and 3 tables