A new drug has been developed to combat alcoholism without causing the negative effects associated with traditional treatments. Instead, the medication triggers the release of happiness hormones. The Latvian chemist Ivars Kalvins and his team at the Latvian Institute of Organic Synthesis have created a drug that aims to fight alcohol addiction, which is particularly prevalent in Russia. Kalvins has already gained international recognition for his development of Meldonium, a cardiovascular drug that is approved in Eastern Europe but is on the World Anti-Doping Agency’s banned list. Kalvins argues that Meldonium is not a doping agent, but rather a means for athletes to protect their health from excessive exertion.
Unlike previous treatments for alcoholism, which induce a strong aversion to alcohol, Kalvins’ new drug replaces the effects of alcohol without causing negative consequences. The medication triggers the production of happiness hormones in patients, just as alcohol does, but without the addictive properties and negative effects of alcohol consumption. Regular alcohol consumption leads to the creation of receptors that require increasing amounts of alcohol to trigger the same level of happiness. Kalvins’ new drug does not have this effect, allowing patients to maintain the same dosage while still experiencing the same level of happiness. Additionally, the drug is said to reduce the number of “unnecessary” receptors created by excessive alcohol consumption.
The drug has already been successfully tested by addiction therapists, but Kalvins stresses that it is not a cure for alcoholism. Long-term success with the medication requires a strong will on the part of the patient. Despite this caveat, the development of a drug that can replace the effects of alcohol without causing negative consequences is a significant breakthrough in the treatment of alcohol addiction.
