Ron Crystal's Vaccines

(Kinsey, 2014) Once the addiction gene is identified, addiction may become a time of the past or just wishful thinking. The article, Vaccines against drugs of abuse: Where are we now?, states “[s] ome of the addictive substances discussed above do not lend themselves to the development of a vaccine as the molecule is too small (ethyl alcohol), the molecular structures involved are too diverse and unstable (cannabinoids), or the drug may actually have positive health effects (caffeine)”. (Kinsey, 2014) Nonetheless, scientists have been developing vaccines for methamphetamines, opioids, nicotine, and cocaine. I would like to know more on the treatment of cocaine addiction with Baclofen as mention in the HBO

Cocaine is one of the oldest, most powerful and most dangerous stimulants in the world. This powerfully addictive drug effects over 35 million people In the United States. Cocaine addiction prevents a person from being a productive member in our society. It also increases the cost for law enforcement and treatment facilities. It rapidly decreases the workplace, increases the homeless rate and needless deaths on a daily basis.

"Cocaine and crack are among the most addictive substances known to modern science, and they have already ruined the lives of millions of Americans" (Morganthau and Miller, 208). Cocaine and crack are both dangerous, harmful drugs. Though pleasurable effects can be obtained from these drugs, the use of crack and cocaine cannot be worth the actual consequences that are inflicted on mind and body. The bad effects of these drugs, by far outweigh the good. Because crack and cocaine are so closely related, it is important to have a firm understanding of both drugs.

The addictive properties of cocaine are a dopamine D2-receptor researchers “indicate that these dopaminergic neural systems play an important part in rewarding effects” (Miller, Gold, Smith, 1997, p.64).

Vaccines can also be used as a supplementary in the drug addiction treatments. These vaccines are shown to weaken or shield against the euphoric sensations caused by the drugs. Clinical trials are already being conducted, in creating an Anti- Cocaine vaccine that would be resistant or “immune” to cocaine. A heroin vaccine shows the ability to be resisting heroin

As a coach, I had a player, who was very polite and worked hard in practice. She was very timid around other teammates. She would stop in to talk to me and never had friends that I could see her relate to. Trying to fit in desperately, she was happy to be included in the “social” activities in college. She got pregnant and her boy friend and her were arrested for conspiracy to deliver cocaine and both sentenced to prison. This course states cocaine can cause an initial rush of pleasure that makes you alert, talkative and confident. With prolonged exposure to meth and cocaine, it can destroy up to 50% of dopamine – producing neurons in certain parts of the brain. This can lead to irreversible symptons of Parkinson’s disease. (Cocaine handout) After several letters from her in prison, she thanked me for being a good listener. I know her family closed their eyes thinking it’s not an addiction, but a social activity that they can quit at any time. This course explains how a higher level of dopamine on a regular basis is needed just to keep you feeling normal. Cocaine can make people feel paranoid, angry and hostile even when they are not high. Prolonged use causes sleep deprivation and loss of appetite. A person can become psychotic and experience hallucinations. It increases the risk that the user will experience a heart attack, stroke, or respiratory failure which can result in sudden death. (Foundation for a Drug-Free

Cocaine also known as crack cocaine is a stimulant drug, a stimulant raises one’s heart rate, attention and awareness and breathing. Stimulants were used to treat respiratory issues but is now prescribed for individuals with ADHD. In the 1800’s is when cocaine began to be seen as an addicting substance due it’s mood-altering effects on one’s brain. Cocaine can be inhaled through a pipe, when in powder form it can be snorted, and some individuals inject the drug into their bloodstream through intermuscular or intravenously. Individuals that use cocaine repeatedly use the drug within a short time span between each time used so that the euphoric high stays longer. The effects that cocaine has on the central nervous system is so

Cocaine is one of the most euphoric, exciting, fun substances in the world - and also the most dangerous. It creates the perfect feeling, the invincible high. It is so strong and has so many beneficial qualities that it was once called the miracle drug, but the miracle drug has its downsides too. The miracle drug is dangerous. The miracle drug is deadly. Cocaine is a highly addictive and dangerous drug that alters the mind and body of humans of all ages and consequently changes their entire thought process. It chemically alters the mind, increases the physical ability of people (while also destroying their bodies) and morphs their entire mental state into something great (while also turning them into paranoid schizophrenics).

In your post you are saying “A faster drug such as heroin and cocaine occupies enough brain receptors to produce psychoactive effect. It just slows the brain down.” I do agree on the drugs do it does slows the brain down and the side of effects are when it enter the brain heroin goes into morphine that is when binds to molecules on cell opioid receptors. The receptors are located in many areas of the brain and in the body and the opioid receptors are located in the brains stem too. That controls such as blood pressure, arousal, and respiration. Cocaine can prevent dopamine from recycling prevents dopamine from recycling and if you flood of dopamine ultimately it can disrupts normal brain communication and causes cocaine’s high, the short term

According to Newman (2015) to treat drug use as a health issue and end to end the war on drugs, three strategies need to be implemented. These strategies include drug decriminalization, supervised injection facilities, and heroin-assisted treatment. Advantages of decriminalization are it can help minimize overdose, disease, and addiction, while reducing the larger number of people in the criminal justice system (Newman, 2015) . It has been shown with evidence that supervised injection facilities are effective in reducing new HIV infections, overdose deaths, and public issues (Newman, 2015). All this is reduced without the increase of criminal activities or drug use. Heroin-assisted treatment is an important strategy because it can reduce the

Cocaine is an intense, euphoria-producing stimulant drug with strong addictive potential (Drug Enforcement Administration). Cocaine is derived from the coca plant grown in Bolivia, Peru, and Colombia. When injected, snorted, or smoked it blocks the reuptake of dopamine, serotonin and norepinephrine in the brain that causes a “rush” through the body. There are two forms of cocaine, freebase and crack. This illicit drug, when used, will increase the heart rate, blood pressure, dilate the pupils, insomnia, and loss of appetite. People who use cocaine may seem excited and may act more confident than when they weren’t under the influence. Cocaine use alters the mental state of the individual who is using and causes paranoia, poor judgment, delusions and hallucinations. Those who have a been using for a long time will often have a runny nose or sometimes nose bleeds. In addition, their craving for the drug will intensify which often results in need for higher doses. Some of the street slang names you may hear is coke, crack, soda and nose candy (Hanson, G. et al, 2015).

For almost the past decade Doctor Ronald Crystal has been working to create a vaccine that would block the high feeling you get from cocaine. It's already proven to work on animals and now it's ready for human trials. "Most cocaine addicts want to get off cocaine in the similar way many smokers want to stop smoking but its very very hard because of the addictions so hopefully this will help," explains chairman of the Department of Genetic Medicine at Weill Cornell Medicine, Dr. Ronald Crystal.

Cocaine treatment is no different from treatment for problems with alcohol or any other drugs, eating disorders or any behavioural addiction such as compulsive gambling, shopping and spending or exercising. All these behaviours are part of the addictive spectrum. Getting off one addictive outlet, while leaving others still raging, is no great achievement. It cannot achieve long-term sobriety and positivity. It simply delays the ultimate decline into

While there are many effective outpatient options currently offered in the addiction care field, the addictive nature of cocaine almost always calls for comprehensive care in a residential facility. In an effort to successfully arrest physical symptoms, and adequately diminish the possibility of any further relapse, it’s recommended that patients take the time and sequester themselves so they can focus on getting well. Risk of infection with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, if the user shares a needle with a person already infected with the virus. "Freebase" is a form of cocaine that is smoked. Freebase is produced by a chemical process whereby street cocaine (cocaine hydrochloride) is converted to a pure base by removing the hydrochloride salt and some of the cutting agents. The end product is not water soluble; the only way to get it into the system is to smoke

Unfortunately, it is extremely easy for an amazing student to turn into an outcast injecting themselves with heroin and shivering in a dark alley. Addiction, like a brain disease, turns you into a savage animal that ignores everything in order to get another dose of cocaine, nicotine, etc. One source states that, “When the supply of the drug-whether it’s nicotine, alcohol, cocaine, heroin, or amphetamines-stops, the brain cries out for more. When addicts say they can’t help themselves (ignoring their own personal safety, well-being or relationships to obtain another rush), it’s really their brain talking.”(Niiler) Though addiction is curable, it is clear that by using sniffer dogs, we can prevent it from even