The Most Memorable Fictional Drugs in Movies and Television

Published by Madison

From: http://unrealitymag.com

Whether it’s Tony Montana snorting lines of coke the length of pool tables, Cheech and Chong puffing on some quality bud, Harry Goldfarb injecting himself with smack, or crack smoking on The Wire, mind-altering and recreational drugs have been a major part of movies and television for a long time.  But there are also a gangload of fictional drugs to consider, when the stuff that already exists isn’t potent enough.
Some fictional drugs can be simply a great time, while others grant the user incredible perspective or abilities.  One thing’s for sure, they are all a lot more powerful than the dime bag you bought from the creepy guy on the corner.  Anyway, there are quite a few that stick out, so take a look at the most memorable fictional drugs in movies and television.

Neuroin - Minority Report

John Anderton has a bit of neuroin habit, and he likes to take a puff of the stuff before watching old home videos of his son.  But Anderton’s habit is pretty mild compared to that of many others, including the addict parents of the precogs that help to make up PreCrime.  Neuroin can be taken using an inhaler - like the one shown above - which is exactly how Anderton takes it when he wants to go from melancholy to euphoric.  Essentially, it’s like a gaseous heroin.

Nuke - Robocop 2

Inside that device that looks like something you’d stick a check in while at a drive-thru bank is nuke, a red liquid that drug that is administered via an injection directly into the bloodstream.  It’s highly addictive and causes effects that I guess are closest to that of cocaine, which makes it so popular on the future streets of Detroit.  Nuke effects everyone, from cyborg cops to 12-year-old drug dealers.  Most people take nuke through a quick injection into the neck.  Hardcore.

Moloko Plus - A Clockwork Orange

Before Alex and his droogs go out on the town for lashings of the old ultraviolence, they like to sharpen themselves up at the Korova Milk Bar by drinking Moloko Plus - milk laced with vellocet, synthemesc, or drencrom.  The different drugs placed in the milk obviously have different effects, but Alex seems to prefer drencrom.  The movie doesn’t really go too much into the Moloko Plus outside of Alex’s narration, but the passages in the book describe just how messed up Alex and his droogs get.  And yeah, it’s pretty insane.

Quietus - Children of Men

Quietus isn’t a recreational drug, but it certainly is used by those looking for an escape.  In a time when women are unable to reproduce, many people would rather die quickly, painlessly, and with dignity instead of watching the world around them tear itself apart as our very civilization crumbles.  The British government understands these concerns, thus the availability of Quietus, the most effectively-marketed suicide pill ever.  (Like there are suicide pills that failed due to poor marketing)

Prozium - Equilibrium

The effects of Prozium cause human emotions to come to a screeching halt.  Prozium was created in the hopes of avoiding World War IV; if nobody had any strong emotions, then it follows that nations wouldn’t go to war.  The drug is administered via an injection into the jugular, and all citizens of Libria are required to take Prozium.  Just missing one shceduled injection, however, can result in the resurfacing of emotions, as John Preston discovered himself.

Liquid Karma - Southland Tales

Liquid Karma is the name of the new, revolutionary fuel source in Southland Tales, but it’s also used as a drug, especially by soldiers fighting in World War III.  “Blood Red” is the most potent type of Liquid Karma one can buy, and users may experience telepathy and a deeper, epiphany-like connection with God.  As Southland Tales is about the end of the world and is really a metaphor for the Book of Revelation, you have to wonder if Richard Kelly intended for Abilene to use Liquid Karma as an allusion to the theory that John wrote the Book of Revelation while high on shrooms.  In any event, drugs - even fictional ones - don’t get much harder than Liquid Karma.

V - True Blood

“V” is really just slang for vampire blood, one of the most life-changing substances one can put into his or her body.  The effects of V not only make you an animal in bed, but will also heighten your senses and make you as one with the universe.  In fact, doing V with a partner is even better than sex.  Literally.  Not surprisingly, if these drugs were real, I’d have to pick V as my drug of choice.

Ephemerol - Scanners

Ephemerol was intended to be used as a tranquilizer and a morning sickness remedy, as well as having the effect of suppressing telepathic and telekinetic abilities in adults.  But oh, there’s just one slight problem - ephemerol actually causes telepathic and telekinetic abilities in the children of those who take it.  And that’s how we get exploding heads.

Substance D - A Scanner Darkly

There are two types of people: those who are addicted to Substance D, and those who haven’t tried it yet.   This psychoactive substance - whose “D” stands for “death” - eventually severs the connection between the right and left hemispheres of the user’s brain, resulting in two totally different personalities, with each personality being unaware of the other.  So yeah, it messes you up pretty bad.

Spice Melange - Dune

The Spice Melange is perhaps the most powerful drug on this list.  Found only on the planet Arrakis, where it is produced by giant sandworms, Melange grants the user longer life, increased vitality, and in some people, precognition.  Even better, Melange can be used by navigators to plot courses through space-time, turning what once seemed like impossible intergalactic voyages into routine trips.  Knowing all that, it makes sense why Melange is considered the most valuable substance in the universe.  As for side effects?  Your eyes turn blue - I think that’s better than having to go to a methadone clinic - but prolonged use may eventually turn you into a huge slug-like creature.

Valkyr - Max Payne

This green liquid drug is prevalent in New York City and can give its user increased speed and strength.  The downside?  Nightmarish hallucinations, incoherent babbling, and complete disassociation with the real world.  Some people can tolerate the drug, but most just go insane.

U4EA - Beverly Hills, 90210

U4EA has got to be a euphemism for ecstasy, so of course the kids out in Beverly Hills are going to be all over it. If someone is gonna slip something in your drink, it could be a hell of a lot worse than U4EA.
I’m sure there are a lot more fictional drugs that I haven’t listed, but these were the ones that really stuck out to me the most. If you know of any good ones I’ve left off, let me know in the comment sections. And remember to just say no…