AHS Views

Well, here’s an interesting twist - a vaccine for cocaine addiction. But this vaccine doesn’t prevent addiction, it’s used to get somone who’s already hooked to stop taking it. Does that mean they won’t need addiction help?

Not likely. The researcher developing the vaccine said, “At some point, most users will give in to temptation and relapse, but those for whom the vaccine is effective won’t get high and will lose interest.”  

Well, let me tell you something - if this vaccine is so ineffective that ‘most users will give in to temptation and relapse’, it sounds like the only people it will really help are those who can probably get off cocaine on their own steam.

Neverthless, it is an interesting concept. The vaccine works on the immune system to produce antibodies that bind to the cocaine and thereby prevent it from reaching the brain. I’m not crazy about anything that messes with the immune system - you never know where that kind of thing can lead - but if it helps someone get off drugs, and doesn’t do any other damage, it might be a good idea.

It’s supposed to be used in conjunction with drug rehab and other addiction help. I don’t know quite how that would work since if a person is in drug rehab he’s not going to be using cocaine anyway.

Although physical dependency is one element of addiction, or can be, it’s not really the most pivotal. Getting off a drug can be relatively easy - the urge to escape from whatever drove the person to drugs in the first place is another story. And no vaccine is going to handle that.

If you or someone you know is using cocaine, Addiction Help Services can help you find the drug detox or drug rehab program you need to get off the drug. If you really want to do it, it can be done without a vaccine.