National
Spain to test new vaccine against cocaine addiction
By h.b. - Nov 20, 2008 - 9:22 PM
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Spain is to test a new vaccine against cocaine addiction.
The vaccine is already under trial in the United States where it is showing a 75% success rate with addicts able to give up the drug without any side effects. It consists of proteins which link onto the cocaine molecules to eliminate the pleasant effect of the drug.
The Spanish test will start in the first quarter of next year and last a year. Carmen Moya from the National Drug Fighting Plan said it will have 160 subjects
It comes as new research from the National Drug Fighting Plan ((www.pnsd.msc.es) shows that 70% of the deaths from overdoses in Spain are down to cocaine, and that about 800 people died from the drug in Spain in 2007.
Those who take the drug regularly are 24 times more likely to suffer a heart attack with the risk remaining until an hour after taking the drug.
Cocaine use in Spain is centred on the 15 to 34 age group. Latest surveys show that 2.9% of that age group admits to having taken cocaine in the last 30 days.