The following questions represent some of the most common questions that are asked about drugs and the issue of prevention. Please contact us (info [at] mentorfoundation [dot] org) if you have other questions which you feel would be worth listing in this section or to which you would like a response. Other common words and phrases used in the drugs prevention field are listed in the glossary section.
If you have a specific question you would like to search for the answer to, try entering it into the search box at the top of this page.
FAQs
Questions
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What damage do drugs cause the teenage brain?
This important question is starting to get studied by scientists. Now...
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What does Mentor do?
The Mentor Foundation (Mentor) is a non-profit, non-government...
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Which drugs are commonly abused?
Many agencies monitor what drugs are being abused by tracking trends...
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How is Mentor funded?
The Mentor Foundation (Mentor) is a non-profit, non-government...
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How does Mentor's work affect me?
The Mentor Foundation is an international organisation which has a...
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What is the law relating to drugs?
The laws in relation to drugs are different throughout the world, each...
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How can I help mentor with its work?
There are a range of ways where your support can help Mentor and - as...
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Where can I find information on different drugs?
On this website! The section entitled Common Drugs of Abuse lists...
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How can we measure the effectiveness of prevention work?
It is not an easy task. Measuring something that does not happen is...
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Are there any approaches to prevention that do not work?
The science of prevention and research into best approaches and what...
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What should prevention programmes aim to do and achieve?
Prevention programmes have the ultimate aim of contributing to a world...
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What does Mentor do to help prevent drug misuse?
Mentor is doing a range of things with its work at international and...
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Is there any link between the new "war on terrorism" and the "war on drugs"?
Although "war" may not be the most useful term there is an obvious...
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What do you think about "needle exchange" and using prescribed heroin or methadone to treat drug users?
There is a need for clarity in defining the terms we use. Harm...
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Can we ever win the
Some would argue that the analogy of the "war on drugs" is not a...
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Should drugs, or at least some of them, be legalized?
Some are - tobacco and alcohol, for example. Should others be...
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What is the most cost effective way of tackling the drug problem?
This is very difficult to answer. The way the issue is or needs to be...
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What are the most dangerous drugs?
All drugs are potentially dangerous and can cause harm if used...
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What should happen to "drug users"?
There is a "grey area" between no use, experimentation, misuse and the...
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Does the media have an impact on drug use?
It depends on the meaning of "impact". The research does indicate that...
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Should the focus be on scaring people from using drugs?
In general "scaring" people does not work - so the research would...
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When should prevention efforts begin?
There is a general consensus that drug prevention should begin from a...
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Does prevention work?
It all depends on what you mean by "work". There is no doubt that...
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Is drug use restricted to certain types of people e.g. poor and unemployed young people?
Drug use is seen among all age groups, both genders, within different...
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Why do people use drugs?
There are many contributory factors rather than one specific cause for...
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How big is the drug problem?
It is major global problem of immense proportions. This is illustrated...
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