London (PTI): Researchers in Germany have discovered a "cocaine gene" which makes people more likely to become addicted to the drug, a development that could facilitate the early screening of potential addicts.

A study led by Professor Rainer Spanagel of the Central Institute of Mental Health in Mannheim, Germany, researched 670 cocaine addicts and found they were 25 per cent more likely to carry the gene variant than people who did not use the drug.

"If you are a carrier of this gene variant the likelihood of getting addicted to cocaine is higher. You can certainly use this as a vulnerability marker for cocaine addiction," Spanagel stressed.

Cocaine is a popular recreational drug. Cocaines status as a club drug shows its immense popularity among the party crowd.

Scientists believe cocaine addiction is as hereditary as mental health conditions including schizophrenia, and even more so than alcoholism. Studies suggest cocaine addiction is about 70 per cent genetic, the Daily Telegraph said.

The "cocaine gene" is a variant of the CAMK4 gene and was identified after an initial study on mice, the British daily said.

Spanagel, a Professor of psychopharmacology at the German institute, suggested those with the cocaine gene could receive counselling to prevent them from moving on to become an addict.

They could also be given experimental vaccines, currently in development, which counter the addictive effects of the drug.