Shots Could End Coke Addiction

Researchers trick body's immune system into attacking the drug

(NEWSER) - A vaccine that diminishes the high of cocaine in rats could someday help human addicts kick the habit, LiveScience reports. Researchers created the vaccine by combining a virus associated with the common cold—for its ability to trigger the body's immune system—with a cocaine-like molecule. It showed promise when injected into the rats, essentially by causing their immune systems to go after the drug. More»

(AP) - Mexico has enacted a controversial law decriminalizing possession of small amounts of marijuana, cocaine, heroin and other drugs while encouraging free government treatment for drug dependency. The law sets out maximum "personal use" amounts for drugs, also including LSD and methamphetamine. People detained with those quantities will no longer face criminal prosecution when the law goes into effect Friday. More»

Addicts need help, but casual users need jail: Monbiot

(NEWSER) - The head of the UN drug and crime office recommended last week that casual drug use be decriminalized and said users "need medical help, not criminal prosecution." We should certainly help addicts, but casual users of marijuana and cocaine belong in jail, George Monbiot of the Guardian writes. They abet a brutal regime of murder, slavery, and environmental devastation: "You'd cause less human suffering if you went into the street and mugged someone." More»

Analyzing waste for illicit substances sheds light on use

(NEWSER) - Across the world, raw sewage is being analyzed for clues to illegal drug use. Environmental scientists are testing waste from US and European cities to gather data, which reveals everything from what's popular to which days see the greatest use of which substances. "Every sample has one illicit drug or another, regardless of location," a chemist tells the LA Times. More»