Saturday, January 05, 2008

Houston scientists see hope in cocaine vaccine

I showed Rosa this article tonight and she said she will believe it when she sees it.

"There is too much money to be made in crack cocaine and powder cocaine by law enforcement types and politicians," she told me. "They need to be working on a vaccine for alcoholics.  They are, by far, the most economically and socially damaging group of addicts."

Rosa was right in my opinion.

Baylor doctors say shots block the drug's high

By TODD ACKERMAN
Copyright 2008 Houston Chronicle  

The needle may be one of addiction's enduring symbols, but two Houston researchers hope injections of modified cocaine actually provide the first-ever medication for people hooked on the destructive drug.

The Baylor College of Medicine scientists have developed a cocaine vaccine, currently in clinical trials, that stimulates the immune system to attack the real thing when it's taken.

As a result, cocaine no longer provides a kick.

[...] Read the rest here.

10 comments:

Barb said...

After reading the attached article, I find it to be a futile attempt to fix what cant be fixed. If the abuser isnt getting the response from the stimuli, he will move onto a new drug that will do the desired. A simple example of Pavlovian theory attempt at curing what is bigger then itself.
Just my thought...

B~

Le Fleur said...

That's an interesting article, and though I agree with Rosa on some levels I do think that something needs to be done for all addicts. That is probaby because my own family has been torn apart by various addictions...my father's addiction to coccain, my aunt's various addictions, and even my own addiction to sex. Sometimes I think that everybody has to be addicted to something; seeing it as the natural order of things made me rationalize so many abominable things.

I'm sorry. I didn't mean to say so much.

mago said...

Something completely different:
Where is Dumpster Diving Dan? Did I miss something about him? Liked the old chap.
Or is it just the daily routine that changed?

Ryan said...

I think Rosa is right as well. My friends never seem to grasp why I don't drink one drop of alocohol when I'm out with them. Then again, I hardly go out with them if I know they're not sure where they're going to wake up in the morning. Most of my friends get drunk, and they're just wasting money and themselves. Most of them are annoying and stupid when they're drunk - and yet my cousin Liam, an ex-drug addict, is one of the nicest people you'll ever meet.

justLacey said...

There is no vaccine to save people from themselves. Don't you just love Ryan? What a bright and insightful young man he is.

Gary Marsh/Wellwoods said...

Very interesting blog you have here I like what I've seen

Sharyna said...

I agree with Rosa. Crack was invented by the CIA to provide a cheap high to manipulate the masses.

sharyna

CRUSTYBEEF said...

Rosa is one smart cookie!!
Always,
Crusty~

nengaku said...

I see it as just one more potential tool in the arsenal that every recovering addict needs. The more tools the better.
I've seen alcoholics get some real help with Antabuse. But, of course, it was only one piece of a comprehensive plan for recovery.
There's no such thing as having too many resources for battling addictions.
Peace

nengaku said...

Oh - and cocaine has been around a hell of a lot longer than the CIA.