mindcotine scores us$230,000 just in time to get at-risk smokers to quit before covid gets them
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Contxto – People are sick of hearing of those who don’t take the novel coronavirus seriously because of its low mortality rate within certain demographics. The focus has mostly been on the risk faced by the elderly and those with pre-existing medical conditions.
But, it turns out if you’re a smoker, you may be puffing yourself to an early grave. Research has already shown that tobacco and vape consumers are 14 times more likely to contract and struggle to combat the virus than non-smokers.
What’s the answer? Well, obviously, in this time of stress, isolation, and anxiety, you should just quit cold turkey.
Yeah, right… Easier said than done. Well, here’s a way you can do it for free.
MindCotine in the nick of time
There do seem to be some promising innovations surrounding the science of quitting addictive substances. MindCotine has a rather noninvasive one with the help of virtual reality (VR) and they are rolling it out entirely for free due to the coronavirus pandemic.
This innovative streak is the reason healhtech venture capitalist (VC), StartUp Health, has invested a hefty amount into Argentinian startup.
Moreover, it is just the sort of timely healthcare innovation the StartUp Health army was looking for when it added MindCotine to its Health Transformers portfolio. Their “Health Moonshot” mission is none other than to end addiction in these difficult times.
Leaving the cigs for the moloko
Founders Nicolas Rosencovich, Cristian Waitman, and Emilio Goldenhersch want to help smokers kick the habit using MindCotine’s tobacco addiction therapy.
The Argentinian startup’s solution deploys VR to reproduce the individual and social events that trigger that craving to light up. The VR experience allows users to recognize exactly what these situations are, when and where they arise so as to better control them.
The VR immersion lasts about 10 minutes per day helping soon-to-be ex-smokers with any withdrawal symptoms they may be experiencing.
And the success rate isn’t half bad: exactly one-third of users remained completely abstinent after using the app.
The benefits are certainly worth the fact that I did feel I recognized this treatment from somewhere else. I wonder from where, though…?
But seriously though. There has never been a better time to give up smoking, at least since the last great plague. Please, do it for your own good.
Related articles: Tech and startups from Argentina!
-AG
