So a vaccine for... cocaine?

[Aerozord]

I think I might be more surprised the idea to make a cocaine vaccine even happened.

The novel vaccine Dr. Crystal and his colleagues developed combines bits of the common cold virus with a particle that mimics the structure of cocaine. When the vaccine is injected into an animal, its body "sees" the cold virus and mounts an immune response against both the virus and the cocaine impersonator that is hooked to it. "The immune system learns to see cocaine as an intruder," says Dr. Crystal. "Once immune cells are educated to regard cocaine as the enemy, it produces antibodies, from that moment on, against cocaine the moment the drug enters the body."

its an interesting idea. I'm sure some people will be paranoid but I think this is a net good. I do wonder if cocaine is an exception or the rule. Could they do this with other addictive chemicals, could this be expanded to dietary indulgences?

Though I'm betting there is a limit. Since it uses your immune system to attack the drug you can probably overtax it. This is designed for recovering addicts and not as some kind of method to keep anyone from using the drug.

[Arcanum]

Dr. Crystal

I am sorely disappointed they didn't try this with meth first.

[phil_]

So, does this cause an allergic reaction when one takes cocaine, or does it make one immune to cocaine?

[Aerozord]

Originally Posted by phil_

So, does this cause an allergic reaction when one takes cocaine, or does it make one immune to cocaine?

From what I gathered, it makes you immune.

[Bells]

i wonder what the full context of "immune" is. Are the effects reduced? Nullified? Does it only battle addiction? Can people still get high on it just not get addicted to it?

I mean, either way, it could assist immensely with treatment and rehab, so it is a very good thing indeed.

[Red Mage Black]

Originally Posted by Bells

i wonder what the full context of "immune" is. Are the effects reduced? Nullified? Does it only battle addiction? Can people still get high on it just not get addicted to it?

I mean, either way, it could assist immensely with treatment and rehab, so it is a very good thing indeed.

I'm willing to postulate that it, over time, nullifies the effects as well as the chemical addiction. However, if the latter is also true, should also kill the psychological addiction. Considering the psychological addiction which everyone knows as that the person justifies needing it for the exact effect it gives, which the immunity would kill. Though I'm willing to bet that therapy would still be needed to help that process along.

I wish this was the same for opiate/heroin* addiction, since our current methods such as suboxen and methadone aren't exactly perfect. I realize some people bring addiction upon themselves, but I guess I just don't see a reason people should suffer, whether it was their fault or not. Everyone deserves some chance. (Which is why I don't see why some people equate addicts to murderers when it comes to judging them.)

(I got laughed at once for suggesting opium and heroin are the same. I don't plan on allowing it to happen again, so correct me if I'm wrong. While opium =/= heroin, they are both derived from the same thing. However, one is more refined than the other. Which is why the same treatment exists for both opiate and heroin addiction.)

[phil_]

Originally Posted by Bells

i wonder what the full context of "immune" is. Are the effects reduced? Nullified? Does it only battle addiction? Can people still get high on it just not get addicted to it?

Originally Posted by article

the anti-cocaine vaccine prevented the drug from reaching the brain and producing a dopamine-induced high.

You don't get high. The vaccine's impact on other effects of cocaine, like vascular constriction, isn't mentioned in the article. So, for all I know, you're still messing up your blood pressure and heart rate, it just won't feel good.

Still, I imagine just the knowledge that "Even if I snort this, I won't feel good" could lower an addict's urge to imbibe, which is the point of the vaccine.

[Magus]

Probably depends on their stage of addiction. At later stages, don't you have to take a certain amount just to feel normal? That's usually what leads to overdoses, you have to keep taking more and more to get high.

I think this would probably help a lot of low-grade addicts, though.