<p>Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) can be characterized as traumatic events and/or stressors experienced by the individual. Evidence indicates that these events can have consequences in several contexts, including psychoactive substance abuse (PSA). The objective of this study was to relate ACE as a risk factor for the problematic use of PSA when adults in persons who had been in treatment in a community-based drug treatment service (“CAPSad”). This is a qualitative study that used the Focus Group as a data collection technique. Data analysis was performed using the Bardin Content Analysis technique. The data were grouped into thematic categories, which are: "United for the <em>cachaça</em>"; "From a cozy relationship to the destruction of the family" and "Orphans of living parents." Two meetings were held and eight people participated, all of them male, the majority was 37 years old or more, completed high school and said that the use of PSA was present since childhood. The most prevalent ACE were: domestic violence, sexual abuse, parental neglect and neglect. It is concluded that ACE are important predictors of problematic use of PSA and should be considered for an effective therapeutic intervention.</p>