What would America be like without addictions to drugs, alcohol, food, gambling?

Question

If everyone was REQUIRED to take a pill that eliminated ALL addictions (food, drugs, cigarettes), what would be the impact on our socioeconomic system? (environment, health, family, and other institutions)? Let's say we'd all have to take this pill ONCE and it lasts for a lifetime

What would the impact be?

Thanks!

Answer 1

At the very least, it would be BORING. BORING, BORING BORING BORING, zzzzzzz.....zzzzzzzz....zzzzzz. It would be a great vacuously smiling, happy faced, nightmare of hellish, mind killing conformity. The Parcheesi Hall would be the most daring entertainment possible. Art would cease to exist. I, personally, would only pretend to take the pill and quickly leave the country, never to return, or more likely, leave before they started rounding people up to force them to swallow.

It would be an America populated by creatures that are something other then completely human. Our compulsions partially define what we are. Making us immune to addiction is an effect so intertwined with the rest of our being that we would be fundamentally changed, and therefore, not human.

A "pill" might be able to do what you suggest, but at the cost of pretty much making us robots. If you don't have the freedom to choose a path that potentially includes addictions, then you aren't free.

An America requiring it's citizens to take such a pill would be a fascist state. There would be no economy worth mentioning as the country would no longer be populated by sentient beings. A population that would tolerate the abuse you suggest would not, for instance, have a problem with being rounded up like cattle and being harvested as slaves or food. Our government, amoral already, would now have no problem with the idea of raising money by selling it's citizens to other countries as meat. The docile citizens wouldn't object. They might even welcome their meaty ends, since they are all so stupidly BORED.

In fact, any president or congress that would propose the introduction of legislation requiring the mandatory distribution of your pill should, at a minimum, be removed from office. I'll leave more severe punishments to your imagination.

EDIT: The only plus side I can see to this is that religion, being a form of addiction, would also be eliminated. At least those dumb enough not to run at the passage of your proposed law wouldn't have to endure endless church services or mandatory appearances at the Christian Reading Room.

Good question, by the way.

Answer 2

Everyone has a choice to take/do or not take/do drugs, alcohol, gamble, smoke cigarettes and have sex etc. But do you realize that there is a real physiological affect on the persons mind and body, when they do these things, hence they continue the behaviour, not realizing that their addiction is not only affecting them, but their family, friends, colleagues etc. Drugs, alcohol and smoking affects the brains chemistry and central nervious system, thus affecting a persons behaviour. When someone has been drinking or have taken a drug, they may not be aware of what they are doing. Even caffeine & nicotine can affect the central nervious system, some people will get they shakes, irritable etc if they don't get their coffee or cigarette, just like someone who needs a stiff drink or a drug. Sex, gambling and eating addictions act in a similar way, where the person feels compelled to have sex, gamble or eat. Lulling the person into sense of well being, feeling good etc. With people who over eat, it could be a legitimate medical condition such as Willi prader syndrome or other mental health issue. People affected by these an addictions may feel euphoric, invincible, increase self confidence and reduce inhibitions so forth, or they may be aggressive, paranoid and hostile. Hence they repeat the behaviours, believing they make them feel good. The other problem with addictions, is the impact from on the persons over all health, mental health problems, poor sleep patterns, poor dietary intake or over eating, poor personal hygiene (especially so with drugs & alcohol abuse), along with kidney & liver failure, diabetes etc. So please try to remember that while people can choose to smoke, drink etc, these behaviours does have a very real physiological affect on the mind and body. And if left unchecked, these affect everyone, not just the persons family, friends and colleagues, but it can and does affect the entire community. Edit; I lost a sister to drug abuse and suicide, she had a severe injury, causing pain and mobility issues, which was not being managed very well by her doctors, so she tried many different drugs, some illegal some legal to try and control/manage her pain. She had a choice, to take these drugs, but she had NO quality of life due to her physical disability, hence her trying different things to manage.

Answer 3

Well first off why just America ever place in the world have these addictions. But also why just those addictions you are just mentioning the physical addictions, and not even all of them. I think that if there was a pill to do that there would be other things to take there place. The world is not perfect and can't ever be, we find a way to take something away and make something better then something else will take the for front and seem to be horriable that before never seemed that bad.

Answer 4

Does this mean that I could finally smoke crack without the risk of getting addicted, losing everything I have worked for; my family, my friend, my job, my house, and all the other things? Can I just slam herion a few times, just to see what it is like to nod out? I mean there is no chance that I will become addicted right?

For me it would be great because I would never have to say that I am an addict. Where would all the people that go to Alcoholics, Narcotics, Gambling, Sex, Whatever Anonymous go to?
Good question though.

Answer 5

It would be like a good dream...
Police would be able to get a new job, if this pill also eliminated speeding, ect. Everyone would have a little less stress, and there would be less drop-outs in school, and more people would have a great future, and most people would have longer lifes.

Answer 6

People would still come up with something bad to do.
But it would be nice to get rid of all addictions.
For most of those things you could just put duct tape over their mouths. Or sew there lips together and feed them through a IV.
Kill all dope dealers stand them up against a wall and shoot them. do the same to anyone who grows tobacco or marijuana. Out law alcohol except in the doctors office.
outlaw all junk food everyone has to eat just vegetables and fruits. No grains, meat or fat.

Answer 7

Americans would live much longer and we wouldn't have to waste school time learning about addictions and drugs, if there were none. Life would be better and healthier. AND a HUGE!!!! Impact

Answer 8

That would be an end to a country populated by Demons. Bin Laden would be most impressed.

Answer 9

Read "Brave New World" by Aldous Huxley if you want to know what such a wrld would be like.

Answer 10

What would it be like if we could give ****** conservatives a pill that would make them have compassion for others? And give their money to the poor, sick and suffering ect, hmm?