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NEUROSCIENCE OF PSYCHOACTIVE SUBSTANCE USE AND DEPENDENCE

The use of pharmacotherapies and drug immunotherapies under legal
coercion is likely to be contentious. It is an arguably ethical policy if the
process is under judicial oversight and if offenders are offered constrained
choices of whether or not to accept treatment, and of the type of treatment
that they accept. Any coerced use of a cocaine immunotherapy should be
done cautiously and only after considerable clinical experience of its use with
voluntary patients. It should be trialed, and its safety, effectiveness and cost-
effectiveness should be rigorously evaluated. Such an evaluation also needs
to examine any adverse social or ethical consequences.

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