Anti-Obesity Pill Might Fight Drug (and Alcohol) Abuse

[Tab]

A pill that helps you lose weight and quit smoking? That was amazing enough to capture headlines last week. But scientists say the experimental drug might be even more versatile, providing a new tool to help people stop abusing drugs and alcohol, too.

It's called rimonabant, or Acomplia, and last week researchers reported it could help people not only lose weight but keep it off for two years. That burnished the drug's reputation after two studies in March, which suggested it could fight both obesity and smoking, two of humanity's biggest killers.
...
Animal studies suggest rimonabant can block the effects of marijuana and fight relapse in alcohol and cocaine abuse, he said. Once it is approved for treating obesity or smoking, "we'll be free to study it in these other areas and I'll try to get my hands on it as quickly as possible," O'Brien said.
...
Rimonabant's versatility traces back to its effects on the brain's reward system, circuitry that tells you to keep on doing something. Basically, it appears to help break the connection between an activity like smoking and the rewarding feeling it causes in the brain.

more..
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&u=/ap/20041114/ap_on_he_me/super_pill

I wonder if it has a similar effect when applied to members of the GOP - maybe it'd take all the fun out of looting the treasury. Perhaps it should be required for all members of Congress and the White House.

[umtalal]

1. The Question is: is it made in Canada? n/t

[0007]

2. This is total bullshit!

[Terran]

3. Why do you say that? n/t

[bemildred]

4. But what if you don't want your brains reward system interfered with?

What if it fights "self abuse" too?
Yikes.

[daleo]

5. This seems dangerous

Manipulating the brain's reward system opens up all kinds of potential for abuse. Then, there's that whole free will thing.

[demnan]

6. That might be true for normal people who shouldn't use it

but for the morbidly obese, alcoholic or chaim smoker it might be the only answer.

[daleo]

9. Perhaps true, if it can be limited to those groups

It wouldn't surprise me if drug companies begin to push this towards the rest of the population, though, especially the ideal weight angle.

[VegasWolf]

7. Too bad it won't work for repukes, but their brain neuropathy

is abnormal.

[davsand]

8. Essentially, this is like Zyban.

Zyban (Wellbutrin) works this same way--it blocks the pleasure receptors when it comes to smoking. It also works as an anti depressant, and is prescribed for both purposes in different dosages.

I'm taking it now to quit smoking, and I've not had a smoke since election night when they called Ohio...

You start on it and take it for a couple of weeks before you actually quit smoking. I don't know how to explain it except it makes smoking not taste like anything except how cigarette smoke smells to non-smokers. When you are addicted to nicotine, like I am, there is a huge difference in that!

When I quit smoking, I had a few cravings--times when I'd think I wanted a cigarette--but it was never awful and overpowering like it was when I tried to go cold turkey.

I have no idea abut this new stuff, but if it works the same way to make weight loss easier and smoking easier to quit, then I'm all for more research on it!

Just my views as a person who subscribes to the "Better living thru Chemistry" idea.

Laura

[SKKY]

12. That's good stuff Laura...

...I'll be starting on Zyban shortly I think. I've got to quit smoking! I'm always interested in how people manage to do it, especially through Chemical means. One quick question though, for how long will you need to take it?

[eleonora]

13. Hey, I found this website to be crucial when I quit

http://www.whyquit.org

I quit 8 months ago and never looked back!

Good luck!

[davsand]

23. I checked it out. Thanks!!

Gives some powerful reason to quit, and makes some excellent arguments for not taking another puff--EVER.

I think a lot of poeple forget that smoking is an addiction. It is no different than Coke, Heroin or any other addictive drug. This stuff is not easy to walk away from, and it is NOT a matter of willpower any more than any other addiction is.

Thanks for the encouragement!

Laura

[eleonora]

24. yes! As soon as you understand how your body works without nicotine

and what its normal reactions to a quit are, then you are half way there and it gets easier!
I used to smoke a pack and a half a day for 11 years. I thought I'd never be able to quit but I did. It takes mental preparation but you'll know when you're ready ;)

And it's well worth it!

Let me know when you quit if you need daily encouragement ;D

[eleonora]

14. Congrats on your 2 week quit!

I quit 8 months ago myself, and it was the best decision I made!!

[Dem_Chick]

10. if it's that great

the FDA won't approve. They don't approve anything that doesn't kill you. these days anyway

[Jackpine Radical]

11. Sounds like another drug in the same class as

naloxone/naltrexone, an endorphin inhibitor. Not a fun drug. Just makes people kinda anhedonic.

[NC_Nurse]

16. Works great when

someone is over sedated/OD'ing however....;-)

[Jackpine Radical]

17. Indeed--it'll spring you out of an opiate high

pretty much immediately. Forces those little opiate molecules right out of the endorphin receptors.

[Fovea]

19. Comatose to Combative in 30 seconds.

Been there, with poseys in hand...
They come out swinging from a big 3 on the glasgow scale.

Ahhh, those were the days, nighttime in the old ER.

[jody]

15. Obesity, drugs, alcohol, and probably sex!!! n/t

[Sugarbleus]

18. LOL..yes, maybe it can kill the "impulse" to STEAL

aka loot the people's money...

[jpgray]

20. We'll be a nation of clockwork oranges.

We need choice.

[jayctravis]

21. Yeah, I really want to take a drug whose purpose...

is to negatively screw with the receptors of my brain's reward system.

[Sven77]

22. drugged up population of zombies

part of the bush new freedom act is to psychologically test children in school twice a year and then put them on pschycotropic drugs. drug companies cant wait to get everyone hooked on perscription drugs, and when the patent expires they say the drug is unhealthy so they ban it. then they just release a new drug that is chemically almost the same and have that patent for 7 more years. drug companies are pushing happy pills to solve weight problems, smoking, illegal drug addiction, etc. i could go on and on why this is a bad idea.

Revealed: secret plan to push'happy' pills
http://observer.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,6903,1345512,00.html