Smokers looking for help kicking the habit can become part of a clinical trial of a vaccine that could deflect the pleasure of lighting one up.

Dr. Robert Jeanfreau, an internal medicine specialist from Metairie, is one of 12 doctors across the country to test the vaccine and he is looking for volunteers.

“Once you’ve gotten the injection, it helps your body make antibodies against nicotine so that the next time you smoke, instead of the nicotine getting into the brain, the antibody hooks onto the nicotine to prevent that from happening,” he said.

Similar to how the chicken pox vaccine helps the body make permanent immune fighter cells against that virus, the nicotine vaccine would make permanent fighter cells against nicotine, so the body thinks that nicotine is a germ that would make you sick.

Jeanfreau is seeking adult smokers who would have to keep a diary of their smoking schedule and who would take a series of vaccines. In addition, the participants would get free medical exams for a year as well as getting paid for their time and for travel expenses.

Participants won’t know if they are receiving the actual vaccine or a fake drug.

And, they’ll be helped with the non-physical side of quitting.

“There is counseling involved,” said Jeanfreau. “We do try to encourage people to stop smoking and we do involve counseling.”