The Dosage Will Continue Until Morale Improves (working title)

"Everything not forbidden is compulsory." -T.H. White ("The Once and Future King", 1958)

What if drugs, instead of being illegal, were mandatory? What if we lived in a society that demanded intoxication at all times? What if you could clip coupons for heroin? What if supermarkets had BOGO sales on crack cocaine? What if celebrities endorsed diazepam? What if "health insurance" meant that amphetamines were delivered to your door by armed guards? What if pharmaceutical companies subsidized private military contractors?

What if sobriety was a crime?

Author's Note

While I wrote this specifically for the "Summarise(sic) your story!" contest, it's actually an idea I had almost two years ago. While I haven't (yet) written anything close to a story to go along with it, the idea still intrigues me, so I've kept it on the back-burner. I'm sure that sooner or later, I'll write this story. But for now, I think this summary speaks for itself.

Reviews

[Muse]

I find so much irony in this. If I were to ask my family...friends...co-works...and their children too. Between Ritalin...Prozac...blood pressure medication...oh hell the list could go on and on. Almost everybody I know is on "something"...it may not be heroin or the hard stuff...but we are all almost dependent on something. This goes for caffeine too...in a way...we are all addicts.

[selkietales]

This is a really interesting idea, but it makes me wonder who's exempt since they can't have drugged up leaders running everything if it's going to be a smooth operation. If they test for newer, more effective drugs, they're going to need not only sober, but educated people to run the tests. Maybe drugs could be to control the masses or something?

[Persona]

Thank you for entering my contest and congrats!!
Though rhetorical questions are used so much that I find this hard to follow, I liked it because it was different. It was a short summary so you didn't try to throw in loads of elements. Simply put - the plot is - "we take drugs and they're everywhere." It's not your typical idea as it's not a cheesy romance of a horror flick. I see this becoming a dystopian story where torture does take place as people are forced to take drugs which make them hallucinate and act out. I imagine lots of people being sent to prison and there being riots. I see so much potential in this plot. PLEASE do the story. It could be a masterpiece.

I will definitely look forward to see what you do with this idea.

[Marie]

You're right--the idea is intriguing; I'm interested to see what you'll do with it.