GET SERIOUS! THERE IS NO EASY WAY TO GET RID OF COCAINE ADDICTION

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* Health and Healing *

Tuesday, April 09, 2002 9:48 AM

GET SERIOUS! THERE IS NO EASY WAY TO GET RID OF

COCAINE ADDICTION

 

 

- http://www.redflagsweekly.com/elliot/2002_april08.html -

 

 

GET SERIOUS! THERE IS NO EASY WAY TO GET RID OF COCAINE ADDICTION!

 

THE NEW COCAINE VACCINE IS FOOL’S GOLD

 

 

By Mark Elliot

 

April 8, 2002 - Is there a magic bullet to wipe out cocaine addiction? The new

cocaine vaccine trial might have you think so.

 

My own experience says we should not hold our breath. The vaccine manufacturers

want to raise hopes and remember that their job is to sell more vaccines.

Working in alcoholism and drug recovery gives me a front-line view. It’s

unlikely we will see an end to the scourge of cocaine addiction anymore than we

will see the end of alcoholism or any other form of addiction and abuse.

 

The vaccine in question is called TA-CD and is currently undergoing testing in

the United States. It works by causing the body to make antibodies which attack

the cocaine molecules in the blood. Normally, cocaine molecules are small enough

to get through the blood-brain barrier which protects the brain from foreign

substances. Antibodies attach themselves to the cocaine molecules and make them

too big to get through and thereby cannot trigger dopamine production in the

brain, which is associated with the high people get.

 

At least that’s how the vaccine works in theory. My doubts are based on

experience with drugs that target addiction: Naltrexone, used to treat heroin

addiction; and Antabuse (tetraethylthiuram disulfide), which is used to treat

alcoholism. Both of these drugs have a place in the treatment of addictions and

they can be very effective when used in conjunction with an effective all-round

program of recovery. But the drugs by themselves are often next to useless.

 

The idea of using chemicals to fight drug dependency isn't new. Consider

Naltrexone. It was first developed to overcome the effects of heroin and other

opiate drugs. It came on the scene in the 1980s and when it was given to

overdosing heroin users, it put them into " instant withdrawal. "

An " opiate antagonist, " Naltrexone actually takes the place of the heroin on the

receptors in the brain that produce the drug euphoria. The reaction by some

addicts to being saved from death is sometimes lacking in enthusiasm. ( " You

ruined my trip, man. " )

 

Antabuse is used to enforce sobriety in some alcoholism treatment programs. When

you’re on antabuse and take a drink, you shall experience severe discomfort. But

I've worked with heroin addicts taking Naltrexone who cheated by smoking dope,

popping ecstasy and doing cocaine. Likewise, an alcoholic on Antabuse can still

smoke pot, do cocaine or any other drug to get high. Now do you really think a

cocaine addict on the vaccine, TA-CD (assuming it works) is going to be cured of

drug addiction?

 

Who is going to decide who will get the vaccine? Will TA-CD be given to

schoolchildren? Is that the way cocaine addiction will disappear? If so, then

what next? A pot vaccine? And what about the social realities that help shape

people — cocaine vaccine or no vaccine? Also, what about the drug addicts who

don’t want to stop using drugs?

 

As the saying goes, " What do you get when a drunken horse thief gets sober? " The

answer, " A sober horse thief. " Without effective all-round community treatment

programs to address the underlying causes of the addiction, any medical therapy

is likely doomed to a high degree of failure. An angry addict will just find

another drug of abuse.

 

Those who think there is an easy way around addiction are either ignorant of the

territory or are looking to make big bucks.

 

 

 

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