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Kicking the Habit Of Heroin:
The deadly Puffer Fish may contain all
the solutions for Heroin addicts.
Discovered in China, a Canadian biotechnology
company, International Wex Technologies has now obtained the rights
to develop Tetrodoxin, the poison from the fish, to fight drug
addiction.
Like so many of these types of discoveries,
it was merely by accident and the feeling of scientists who were
working with the substance said that it could work.
Tetrodoxin blocks the painful withdrawal
symptoms associated with kicking the Heroin addiction and lessens
the addicts craving for the drug.
Besides treating Heroin addicts, the drug
is understood to be 3000 times more powerful in killing pain which
may be beneficial for cancer patients etc. Early studies in China
showed that addicts withdrawal symptoms can end within three to
seven days.
Currently the two most preferred methods
of treating the addictions is by administering Methadone or Morphine,
but both these "cures" are addictive too.
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Facts About the Puffer Fish |
- When puffed up, it weighs about 1kg
each yielding about 10,000mg of the poison, Tetrodoxin.
- Each fish would be able to produce
more than 650 doses of Wex's Tetrodoxin.
- The puffer fish stores Tetrodoxin
in its tissue.
- Several countries have licensed chefs
who are specially trained to prepare the fish for consumption.
- The fish is available from both wild
and farmed sources. Also known as fugu, it produces the
poison only when it eats plankton
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We cannot say whether the drug is going
to work on Heroin addicts yet, as clinical tests have yet to be
completed. But the supply
of the fish is crucial. If it does work and people start using
it, it must be continued. If not, the effects on these patients
would be devastating. Although Dr Baddeley who works with a major
biochemical manufacturer feels counselling is still the best way
to get people off drugs.
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