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Researchers in Finland are studing the potential for a nasal spray to be used in eradicating gambling addiction.
The fast-working spray containing naloxone is currently being used to curb opiate addiction by blocking the production of dopamine.
“The spray goes to the brain in a few minutes so it’s very useful for a gambler … if you crave gambling, just take the spray,” Hannu Alho, professor of addiction medicine at the Helsinki-based national institute for health and welfare, explained.
130 subjects are expected to participate in the study. Half will use the treatment for three months, while the other half will be given a placebo.
Alho said a previous attempt to treat gambling addiction with a pill containing a substance similar to naloxone had shown benefits, but was inefficient as the pill takes at least one hour before it is absorbed.
“Gambling is a very impulsive behaviour … the need to gamble starts right away,” Alho said. “For this reason we are seeking a medication with a quick effect … the nasal spray acts in just a few minutes.”
- Jagajeet Chiba, Gambling911.com
