The Safe Drug. A mood-altering drug with NO ill-effects. (standard:Satire, 2457 words)
Author: Oscar A Rat	Added: Jul 06 2020	Views/Reads: 1430/1034	Story vote: 0.00 (0 votes)
Finally, a drug that gets you high but lets you down instantly.

Click here to read the first 75 lines of the story

Their mother, noticing the activity in the woods and -- perhaps missing
the yelling, running around and dirty clothes that had become normal -- 
also investigated one afternoon.  At the time, she'd been suffering 
from one of her frequent migraine headaches 

A peaceful feeling enveloped her.  It wasn't until later, standing near
the lovely plant, that she noticed her headache was gone.  After that, 
whenever she had a headache she would take a lawn chair out and sit 
under the plant, reading.  Before long, after moving a picnic table, 
chairs, and electric lighting out there the family spent much of their 
time in the evenings close under its influence.  Family arguments 
became rare as a feeling of peace and contentment settled over them 
all. 

Under it's spreading crimson leaves, cares of the day evaporated, only
slowly coming back later.  About that time, the entire world discovered 
the "Peace Plants."  People all over the Earth sought them out.  Some 
entrepreneurs even charged others to use theirs. 

*** 

“We have to do something about this phenomenon,” Reverend Doctor Jamison
told his Church Management Committee.  “We're losing donations.  Our 
congregation and collections are falling.  Too many of our membership 
would rather sit under those damned bushes than come to church.”  
Remembering his decorum, he stopped his hand from pounding on the table 
to make his point. 

“Mail-in and web donations are also falling, sir,”  Mr. Peters from
accounting reminded him.  “The more troubled people are, the more they 
come to church.  Those plants are causing too much contentment.” 

“Maybe we can outlaw the darned things?  You think so, sir?”  came from
Jacobski of the legal department.  “I don't think they've been approved 
by the DEA, and they are mind-altering.”  He grinned.  “I have a buddy 
in the Department of the Interior.  He might be able to do something.” 

“Check into that, will you, Jake?”  Jamison grinned back.  Events were
set in motion. 

*** 

Mike and his friend Jamie, were sitting under the shade of Mike's peace
plant.  At first, they'd tried other drugs while lounging under its 
leaves.  Mike liked his heroin -- not addicted, mind you, just liked to 
use a lot of it was all.  He could quit anytime he wanted, you know? 

They also tried smoking crack and pot -- but found it made no
difference.  All that happened was that the drugs had their normal 
effect, and the plant none.  In time, they found themselves preferring 
the effects of the peace plant.  They still used other drugs 
occasionally, but not while under the plant.  While under the plant, 
they had no urge to use them. 

While rubbing one of the large green leaves, it came loose in Jamie's
hand. 

“Oh, man, I'm sorry Pat -- they called the plant "Pat."   Jamie tried to
stick the loose leaf back onto the stalk.  Seeing it didn't stick, he 
apologized to Pat again, folded it up carefully and put it in his shirt 
pocket. 

A few days later, while rolling joints, he remembered the leaf. 
Searching  on the floor for the right dirty shirt, Jamie found the leaf 
and brought it back out to the living room.  He then, just for the hell 
of it, rolled a joint of both marijuana and peace plant leaf.  He 
marked it with a red dot and put it with the rest of the joints. 

Later, Mike wanted to have a smoke.  He opened the box of home-rolled
joints and noticed the red dot. 

“Hey, Jamie, what's this dot for?  You got rat poison in it or
somethin'?” 

“Na, come on.  Let's try it out.  A special mixture.  Let's try it.” 

They lit up and Jamie took the first pull, passing it over to Mike. 

“Oh, Yeah.  Cool, man.”  It was like standing under the plant, only
better.  He was at peace with the world.  It was better than a 
combination of pot and coke.  Confidence filled his mind, dreams coming 
to the fore even as cares vanished.  Yet, he could easily shove the 
feelings out of his mind and become sober.  He mentally clicked the 
feelings on and off, on and off.  Sober, high, sober, high, like a 
switch in his mind. 

They were high like that for twelve hours, the feelings gradually
fading.  Mike found he could go to work at McD's without any problems, 
simply clicking his mind sober when needed.  The same with driving.  In 
his spare time, he would lean back and feel peace. 

Strangely, as in under the plant, there wasn't any difference by
changing the mixture.  You became just so high, and that was it.  It 
was impossible to overdose. 

*** 

“We're losing customers.  Why are our drug sales in such a slump,
gentlemen?”   Oliver Jeffers, CEO of the Jeffers Drug Corporation, 
admonished his staff.  “Tranquillizers, depressants, and even goddamn 
pain relievers are down in sales.” 

“Its those frickin' peace plants, sir,”  Tom Jones, one of his plant
managers, reminded him.  “They do the same job, and for free.” 

“And I hear some people are even smoking them now,”  Summers, from
advertising, told him. “They're going around at peace with the world.  
Who needs any other stimulation with that stuff around?” 

“They also stop pain, such as headaches and menstrual pains,”  Ms. April
from accounting said, blushing.  “At least that's what I heard.” 

“Peterson,” Jeffers said to the head of the legal department, “it's your
baby now.  See what you can do.” 

*** 

In late August, the pods burst, flinging tiny red seeds in every
direction.  People under the plants had gotten used to animals sharing 
the space with them.  Even the most ardent hunters wouldn't dream of 
chasing a rabbit away, or harming the plant by shooting near it.  It 
was common to see a raccoon or wild rabbit sitting on a person's lap.  
The seeds fell on fur or stuck to shoe soles and were spread widely.  
Some people carefully collected them to plant later on their own plots 
of land. 

**** 

“Damn it.  You guys gotta do something.  Our profits are down,”  Don
Alselmo screamed at his capos and lieutenants.  “I want you to kill 
every one of those damned things you can find.  Maybe offer a bonus for 
every one brought in?  My Colombian contacts are pissed.  I can't 
afford to buy more drugs until we sell what we have.” 

“Maybe we can lower our prices again?”  one captain suggested. 

“Lower it anymore and we won't have any profit.” 

“We can't stop the plants.  There are too many to fight, and they're
seeding now.” 

“You want your ass back on the street, asshole?  Do as I say.  Pay
ten-bucks for every mature plant,”  the Don ordered.  “And I'm going to 
see my congressman.  What the hell am I paying him for?” 

Of course, who would sell any peace plants for ten-dollars, or
five-hundred, when they could roll the leaves and sell the resulting 
joints for a lot more money? 

*** 

All over the globe, wars tended to fizzle out as well as terrorist acts.
 Few people wanted to fight or hurt anyone else.  Military and police 
departments were forced to initiate strong penalties for any of their 
personnel found under the peace plant's influence.  In the US, that 
meant sharply curtailing liberty for the troops.  Warships were sealed, 
with anything coming on board searched for those pesky red seeds. 

Terrorist groups were worse off, their people generally more scattered. 
Even the most ardent terrorist or freedom fighter refused to fight or 
hurt others.  They would sit under a plant and discuss politics, but 
simply didn't feel like carrying out violent acts. 

Even anti-smoking laws were rarely enforced, since it would cost money
in sales to enforce them.  Few even desired tobacco when they could 
smoke PP leaves.  Managers and owners of businesses were at peace with 
the world.  Tobacco smoke didn't irritate non-smokers anymore. 

The sales of gas masks rose as police forces all over the world issued
them to their personnel.  Without masks, policemen tended to stand and 
watch criminal acts, hesitating to interfere. 

Government buildings in Washington and other places adopted a strict "No
PP" policy, in order to do their job.  How could a judge, for instance, 
function under the influence.  PP testing machines were quickly 
developed, along with trained dogs, to keep the substance out. 

With all that lobbying by special interest groups, drug companies and
political action groups, there was a rush to pass laws restricting the 
use of the new peace plants.  Such efforts were complicated by the fact 
that the plants had no otherwise illegal or unhealthy traits. 

After all, although you became high as a kite, you could easily fight
off the effects.  In fact, there were a multitude of healthy aspects.  
Also, the crime rate had taken a dive in most major and minor crimes.  
The biggest problems congress faced would be the anticipated court 
battles afterward. 

Another problem was a backlash from people who didn't want to lose the
plants.  That, however, was a problem that never developed.  People 
under their influence were too peaceful to fight back at the new laws. 

*** 

“We've done it,”  Dr. Matheson, head chemist at the Jeffers Drug Corp
reported to his boss.  “I've isolated the active ingredients in the 
peace plant.  We can market them without the euphoric aspects.  The 
pills will cure ills but won't get people high.” 

After a brief testing by the FDA, the pills were approved.  It was a new
generation of anti-depressants, tranquilizers, stimulants, and pain 
relievers.  They went on the market with high price tags to recoup 
previously lost profits. 

That was just what politicians wanted.  It would also satisfy the mob
and religious right.  Without wild PP, people would buy drugs from the 
mob again.  With depression returning and less of those damned peaceful 
feelings, they would return to the church. 

Laws were passed, making it illegal to own or use the pesky bushes. 
They were easy to find.  Their bright red color gave them away, as well 
as glowing in the dark.  Helicopter patrols spotted them easily.  The 
DEA began a push to hunt out and destroy all they found.  Only licensed 
drug companies were allowed to have them, and then only with special 
permission. 

Since people tried to hide the plants and grow them illegally, the mob
changed course and dove into the illegal peace plant business, 
profiting greatly.  Old warehouses and factories were used to hide 
plants, people being charged to sit near and guard them.  Rolled leaves 
rose in price, along with a huge demand. 

Best of all, all aspects could be, and were, taxed heavily. 

Jails were filled by lawbreaking PP smokers, as well as other crime
rates rising back to normal.  Even wars went back to previous levels.  
In the end, the special interest groups won, as they always had in the 
past ... and no doubt always will. 

The End.


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