The Legal News

Varenicline, is a drug marketed to help smokers quit, it may also  help get rid of the desire to drink. New studies indicate alcoholic rats cut their drinking in half when on the drug.

18 rats were conditioned  to become addicted to alcohol over a 4 month period. the researchers would let the rats drink all day and then at night take the alcohol away from the rats.Withdrawal made the rats drink more and more when it was available, and so would drink more and more.

After months of ninge drinking the drug still cut their alcohol intake in half. And after taken it and then discontinuing the drug  the rats were not as inclined to drink alcohol.

One researcher believes that instead of the drug replacing the urges, varenicline is “turning down the reward system”.