Radical treatment for treating addiction tested

Drug addiction treatments have evolved a great deal over the years, and there have been some fairly radical treatments suggested and trialled.  One of these 'radical' treatments that has been suggested is the use of hallucinogenic drugs to combat addiction (BBC News, 2012).

The drug is derived from a plant in Africa that is commonly used for tribal ceremonies, and some scientists have found that is could have good potential to help people overcome their addiction.  One individual who used the drug found that after only one does his cravings for cocaine were significantly reduced, almost to the point of non-existence. 

Although the drug appears to have a drastic effect after only one dose, researchers highlight the importance of further treatment at drug rehab centers after it's use in order to fully address all the issues associated with a person's drug use. 

However, despite the potential it could have, at present there is a great deal of resistance against the drug, and very little formal research has been conducted to ascertain the full benefits and potential side-effects of the substance.  Despite some researchers applying for numerous grants in order to properly test the drug, governments seem less than willing to permit this.  

Some individuals who have used the drug have reported negative experiences, even fatalities have been reported and this has placed a black mark against the drug.  However, this is believed to be mainly due to the fact that these users were not being regularly monitored for any ill effects, and such finding only go to prove how important formal testing is in order to fully understand any possible effects, whether god or bad. 

Deciding to place money into any research is a very complex issues, and there will always be debates about whether money should be spent looking at a certain treatment.  However, in cases such as this, we can only hope that researchers continue to push for proper testing, as it appears to have good potential in addiction treatment, and hopefully if the drug, or something similar were to become available it may drastically reduce the numbers of people suffering from addiction.

Published by on 26/04/2020.