LondonNet News Headlines
| 14/06/04 |
| 'Vaccine' Cure Lined Up for Coke Heads
- Slough-based company gives hope to addicts NICOTINE-ADDICTS, dope-heads and and crack-whores could be helped to kick their self-destructive habits with new 'vaccines' that block the drugs' highs. Yesterday's publication of successful trials on a drug that suppresses the euphoric effects of cocaine could lead to an easier withdrawal programme for addicts within a few years. "It could be adopted by drug-treatment centres - but you have to look at all the other things that help someone get off a drug," said Aidan Gray, of the Conference on Crack and Cocaine. The trial of the new drug were conducted at Yale University after development by Xenova, a Slough, west of London-based compan. The trial involved only a dozen cocaine addicts but three-quarters of the participants were weaned off their habit. Larger scale trials will now go ahead which are due to report back next year. Other firms, including the French pharmaceutical company Sanofi-Synthélabo, are working on similar effect-blocking drugs for cannabis and nicotine. Crack-cocaine use in London has seen an explosive growth in its use over the last decade which has had a huge knock-on effect on crime. For example, it is estimated that 75 per cent of inmates of Brixton prison are crack-users. |
