The neuroscientists, that is. After praising the recent remarkable Rolling Stone piece on the failed War on (Some) Drugs, Frontal Cortex goes on to opine (yes! a chance to say opine):
What does this have to do with neuroscience? I think neuroscience is our last, best, and only hope of actually dealing with the drug problem. While addiction is an extremely complicated phenomenon, we now know that the brain utilizes a single chemical mechanism - the dopamine reward pathway - for everything from heroin to gambling to cigarettes. Of course, the molecular details differ in each context, but the general principle is the same. If science can find a way to selectively block the addictive properties of dopamine - without inducing a terrible range of side-effects - the societal payoff would be immense. Of course, nobody is sure that such a pharmaceutical is even possible, but even if scientists can engineer a mildly effective treatment that only works for specific substances, I think it would dramatically change the way we approach the War on Drugs. Addicts don't want to be addicted. For the most part, they want help. We just don't know how to help them. [Bolding mine]
He's right, of course, just late to the party. Let’s say it all together. TECHNOCORRECTIONS!!!!
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