Addiction treatment might be experiencing a change in how to treat it. Dr. Kim Janda, a San Diego-based chemist, has spent the last 25 years working on a vaccine that will help to eliminate addictions such as smoking cigarettes or using cocaine. This would basically mean that when a person consumed his or her drug of choice, that they would feel nothing from the experience, thus eliminating the urge to use again.
Dr. Janda claims the vaccines are not imminent but are well on their way to being developed to help those struggling with addiction. He explained that the vaccine would be administered after someone finds themselves addicted to a substance that they cannot let go of, and that it would be designed to make the immune system create antibodies that would shut down the narcotic before it was able to take control of the body or brain.
Dr. Janda has already run trials with cocaine addicts who have been injected with one of his vaccines and then snorted cocaine. The participants said the coke tasted “dirty” and they did not get the high they would usually get from using this drug. Dr. Janda feels that attitudes have changed toward addiction treatment and that doctors are becoming more willing to promote medical solutions to drug problems in the United States. While the thought of such a vaccine coming onto the market might sound great, it might not be the solution for everyone.
Struggling with an addiction can be life-draining and the help for addicts needs to be provided quickly in order to help save their lives and get them back on the right track to leading a sober life. If you or a loved one is struggling with an addiction, contact Vista Taos today for answers on how this struggle can become a distant memory. Medical-based treatment is a good option, but it may not be enough. New Mexico’s Vista Taos Clinic focuses on more ways to cope with addiction, not just western medicine. Learn how holistic care can be the solution to tread substance abuse.
