Are there any common problems that children run into before they start using drugs?

Hard to say.: When i was growing up "they" used to say that parting your hair in the middle meant you were using drugs. That's about as accurate as anything else. Often delinquent behavior such as stealing, or fighting may predict larger problems. Often it does not. The best way to identify such a problem is sincerely listening to the child. They may just tell you on their own.

Sometimes: If you wait to see a particular sign to know if your kid is on drugs, you may miss something. While some kids will get into trouble in school or with the law as a prelude to drug use, others may not. As such, i think there is no good substitute for an open an honest dialogue with our kids relative to the concerns we have for them. Good luck.