<p>This research studies impulsiveness and family conflict as predictors of illegal psychoactive substance use. The objective of this research was to analyze the differences in impulsiveness and family conflict between high school student users and non-users of illegal psychoactive substances. A quantitative methodology through a cross-sectional, correlational study was carried out. A questionnaire composed by the Plutchik scale of impulsiveness, some items of the Climent, Aragón and Plutchik Scale of Impulsivity and indicators to explore consumption of psychoactive substances. The sample was composed by 344 high school students of the municipality of Emiliano Zapata in Veracruz, México. The results show that 9.0% have consumed illegal drugs. A correlation was found between family conflict, impulsivity and use of psychoactive substances. We found that impulsivity and risk taking are predictors of illegal drug use. The results show that impulsivity is a factor related to drug use and it is necessary to design interventions that favor management of emotions and decision making in adolescents, as well as the participation of the family in substance use prevention programs.&nbsp;</p>