Government Drug Enforcement: Difference between revisions

{{trope}}

 

Not to be confused with [[Everybody Must Get Stoned]], which is simply the group version of the [[Mushroom Samba]]. Closely related to [[May Contain Evil]], but in this case, it's [[The Government]] and not merely a Corporation spreading drugs around.

 

== Film ==

** Some still do (see Real Life folder).

* ''[[THX 1138]]'' had the populace kept under control with sedatives, to prevent them from having sex, or otherwise acting in unapproved ways.

* ''[[Children of Men]]''. Numerous advertisements are seen for 'Quietus', which is either available on demand or is actually issued together with each citizen's anti-depressant ration. The instructions assure the would-be user that not only is it quick and painless, but no-one has survived taking it.

 

== Literature ==

** A much better example from the same book is when the main character visits his mother early in the war (Roughly 30 years has passed since he left due to relativistic effects.) His brother, who lives on Luna, tells him not to smoke his mother's pot ration, because Earth pot is drugged.

* ''[[House of the Scorpion]]'' Clones, in order for the general populace to be able to accept their status as nonhuman, must be given drugs at birth to stunt their intelligence. The protagonist Matt is an exception to the rule.

* In the ''[[Honor Harrington]]'' universe, the evil corporation Manpower, Inc. uses a combination of genetic engineering and powerful medication to control a population of "genetic slaves" to do manual labor, serve as [[Super Soldiers]], and act as sex slaves. Also, it's heavily hinted that Haven used drugs in the drinking water and food supply to keep a lid on rebellious proles in their welfare state gone wild. In a slightly more benevolent mode, it's a given that all the militaries which have men and women serving in the same units require them to be on contraceptives while on active duty. This is also apparently the policy regarding prisoners of war, explicitly stated as being the practice on the Havenite prison planet Hell where the food was laced with them.

* In the ''[[Green-Sky Trilogy]]'', the Wissenberry is considered sacred and given out freely among the Kindar population to abate any kind of physical or "mind" pain. Teachers even pass them out in school to keep the children calm and compliant. (Snyder was a teacher, and the school system drugging unruly students is [[Older Than They Think]]). Raamo's [[Ill Girl|eight-year-old sister is "wasting" to death]] due to her addiction to the Berries. Widespread addiction in the population is also cited as one of the symptoms of the society itself being ill. To a lesser extent, birth control wafers are passed out among Kindar from the ages of 13-25 so that the youth can obstensibly concentrate on their apprenticeships. Ol-Zhaan, however, are forbidden families of their own.

* The Disciples Of The Black God in ''The [[Illuminatus]]! Trilogy'' traffic heroin to keep the ghettos from becoming riot hotspots. What motive they, as a black militant, Afro-centric, anti-goverment group, have in this, isn't exactly explained.

** Also inverted: at one point it's explained that the Illuminati has an experimental program going on to keep main population dull and bored - the manager in charge of the project {{spoiler|F.D. Roosevelt!}} explains how they remain immune because they're allowed access to Weishaupt's wonder herb, namely cannabis.

== Live Action TV ==

* ''[[Buffy the Vampire Slayer]]'' - The Initiative, an undercover demon hunting operation bent on creating a [[Biological Mashup]] of demon/human/cybernetic parts, secretly feeds its very human agents with performance enhancing drugs. Expect usual withdrawal symptoms.

** In the pilot, the Federation's food and water supplies are laced with "emotional suppressants." The rebel approaching Blake insists he eat or drink nothing for three days to get them out of his system.

** The reason for this was Einstein becoming a neurochemist instead of physicist. Don't ask.

** The people who sold things to make you clean being an underground market was quite hilarious.

*** Speaking of which, the above mentioned counterpart of Quinn's, the one leading the anti-drug resistance? A video shows that he's a ''hippie''. And that his message is to "[[Crowning Moment of Funny|Get low]]."

** All people (in US, at least) have implants in their arms that allow for direct intravenous injections without risk of infection. Using syringes is seen as barbaric. The police make sure everyone stays tranquil and happy. If someone acts out, they shoot them... with a tranquilizer gun.

** ''[[Star Trek: The Next Generation|Star Trek the Next Generation]]'' Episode "Symbiosis", where Planet A helps Planet B overcome a plague by selling them medicine...medicine which is also a highly addictive drug. When the plague is long gone, Planet A doesn't tell Planet B, so they will keep buying and using the drug, even though it's bankrupting their society.

** Also, in the ''[[Star Trek: The Next Generation|TNG]]'' pilot episode, Q mentions that, during the late-21st century wars [[After the End|of WW3 and its aftermath]], human supersoldiers were constantly hopped up on narcotics to give them endurance, strength, and artificial courage bordering on insanity.

** Which is why giving consent is usually handled by a family member or next of kin. This is also true of people who have been incapacitated by injury or disease and are unable to communicate.

* The military examples above are [[Truth in Television]] up to a point; aircrew are permitted to take dextroamphetamine in order to maintain their alertness if it's necessary to exceed peacetime limitations on how long they can remain at the controls without rest, as well as tranquillisers to help them come down from the high once their mission is complete. This is strictly voluntary except in the very gravest emergency scenarios, however, and many pilots choose to take their chances with the dangers of fatigue.

* Old laws actually make illegal for a person to NOT take drugs if suffering from things like TB or syphilis (and in modern age, AIDS). Threat of high death toll from epidemics usually trumped other concerns.

* Despite the ban on steroids and other performance enhancing drugs during the Olympics and such, there are occasional (true or false) accusations of drug use. That top level athletes under government sponsorship (and scrutiny) can get drugs lead some to suspect it was the government themselves (or a suitably plausible deniable agent) who give the athletes drugs.