PDF (Lessons learned in drug abuse prevention: a global review)

INTRODUCTION
The BRQ is a global instrument for monitoring the progress made in meeting the challenges
taken up at the special session covering all sectors of drug control. A substantial
part of the BRQ deals with various actions undertaken by Governments with regard to
demand reduction. Different ministries and agencies have provided this information
according to their fields of competence.
There are some important factors to bear in mind when interpreting this data. Firstly,
the overall response rate was 58 %, which may partly be due to the fact that the BRQ
was new and in its first reporting cycle. It is likely that those Governments that did not
respond were experiencing more difficulty in meeting the goals adopted in the Political
Declaration than the majority of the countries whose responses are reported here.
Secondly, the comparability of the ‘Yes/No’ responses given by countries with different
circumstances must be considered when arriving at any conclusions.
Nonetheless, the BRQ has a useful role to play in monitoring global drug demand
reduction efforts, as well as in facilitating the sharing of information on how progress
can be best made. Future cycles of this reporting mechanism will provide a useful indicator
to reflect the progress made by Governments in the area of demand reduction.
1.4.2 Lessons Learned in Drug Abuse Prevention
The ‘Lessons Learned’ section was put together by the Mentor Foundation in the
following manner:
Data Collection
An initial questionnaire was sent out over a period of 9 months to drug abuse prevention
organisations known to the UNDCP and the Mentor Foundation. A questionnaire
was also developed in collaboration with the Commonwealth Secretariat and sent to
550 organisations in 54 Commonwealth countries. In addition, questionnaires were
distributed in Spanish at a RIOD 3 meeting and at the Sixth International Conference on
Drug Abuse Prevention, both held in Spain in June 2001. Further project information
was obtained from the EDDRA 4 and the ‘IDEA Prevención’ 5 databases. A contact sheet
was sent out with the initial questionnaires which allowed the Mentor Foundation to
develop its networks throughout all United Nations regions. A total of 1500 questionnaires
were sent out, of which 242 (16%) were completed and returned by the cut-off
date of 8th January 2002.
Database
All received data was entered into a database. The information contained within this
database included organisation contact details, project details and more specific information
on the project settings, the approaches applied and the methods used to
achieve the project's aims and objectives.
Short-listing
Up to three projects were short-listed from each region as defined by the UNDCP.
These regions are as follows:
“Nonetheless, the BRQ
has a useful role to play
in monitoring global
drug demand reduction
efforts, as well as in
facilitating the sharing
of information on how
progress can be best
made.”
East Africa Central America Central Asia and Transcaucasion countries
North Africa South America Near and Middle East/Southwest Asia
West and Central Africa Caribbean
East and Southeast Asia
Southern Africa Eastern Europe South Asia
North America Western Europe Oceania
3 Red Iberoamericana de ONGs que trabajan en Drogodependencias, Spain
4 Exchange on Drug Demand Reduction Action Information System, EMCDDA, Portugal
5 Information system specialised in drug abuse prevention, CEPS (Center for Health Promotion Studies), Spain
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