Are We Closer to a Cocaine Addiction Cure?

Ask anyone in recovery and they’ll tell you that kicking the habit isn’t easy. Whether it’s alcohol, street drugs or prescription meds, overcoming addiction takes hard work. Or does it?

Researchers have already developed two cocaine vaccines that show promise in blocking the highly addictive drug before it reaches the brain, and they’re proving successful in monkeys and mice. The vaccines, developed by teams led by Ronald Crystal, a researcher at Weill Cornell Medical College in New York, could open the door to other anti-addiction treatments that work on heroin, meth and more.

The vaccines are still in process and remain in the laboratory, which means they’re not currently available, but they could be a reality in just a few short years. They way they work is by using antibodies against a cocaine-like molecule to clear the body of the drug. The body's immune system sees the virus-molecule combination as a threat and produces anti-cocaine antibodies.

Both vaccines work quickly enough to seek out cocaine as it enters the system and stop it before it gets into the brain, where cocaine's addictive properties and physiological effects are created. This also works to block the effects of the high – the positive effect of the drug that the user is seeking.

While this new research is promising, recovery is still a long and complex process. Giving up the substance is just one step. If one doesn’t deal with the underlying causes of addiction, it’s easy for the individual to move on to another addiction to cope with the unaddressed pain or hurt, looking to numb those feelings.

Cocaine Addiction Help at The Canyon

If you or someone you love needs treatment for an addiction to cocaine or other drugs, call The Canyon at the toll-free number on our homepage. Someone is there to take your call 24 hours a day and answer any questions you have about treatment, financing or insurance.