Drug consumption in La Rossa

Drug consumption in La Rossa has seen a sharp rise since the country's opening in 41 PC. Although several incidents of the use of active drugs have been noted in the country's past, they came down to unrelated instances of individuals consuming unconventional mixtures of toxin-producing mountain plants, occasionally dying in the process. The advancements in medicine over the past century has led to minor rates of drug abuse. Due to a lack of history surrounding such substances, little to no regulation concerning drug use has as of yet been declared by the Dux.

Domestic Laws and Production

Although there are little to no laws regulating the purchase of drugs, any drugs sold on the national market require approval by the government of La Rossa, a measure that has increasingly become enforced following rising imports of drugs from international markets. The approval process involves clinical trials that prove the drug's positive properties strongly outweigh its dangers, although a number of instances of deaths from overdoses have been reported from over-the-counter medicine that has previously received approval. Domestically, only one company - Chimicalion - has produced drugs at scale, though it has been able to reach foreign markets through government funding.

Chimicalion is a major producer and pharmaceutical researcher, having developed several lines of drugs including anaesthetics, birth control and stimulants. The drugs are, for the most part, produced domestically, in an industrial laboratory on the outskirts of the city of Mineria. Chimicalion has reported a yearly revenue of 2.6 billion argottos, with more than 2.1 billion coming from sales. Although it is still reliant on investment for profitability, it has continued to receive hundreds of millions of argottos a year from private and public sources.

Among the general populace

Although little data exists about drug use habits in La Rossa, several anonymized surveys have been conducted over the years to gather information on it. A little over 25% of Rossans report having used drugs for non-medicinal purposes at least once in their lives. Excluded from the number are natural plants with active properties, like coffee, tobacco and opulila. About 8% of the Rossan population is currently believed to engage in such recreational drug use on a semi-regular basis, a drop from earlier numbers which indicated as much as 18%. It is believed that the original post-Opening fad subsided over a few years. Around 4% engage in drugs on a regular basis. The surveys do not include questions over which drugs have been used explicitly, even though examples are named. This unfortunately excludes data of the severity of the drugs used, as even relatively mild drugs are paired together with deeply destructive ones. The statistics also fail to account for misuse in cases of medical use. According to estimates, approximately 2% to 4% of the population are believed to qualify as having addiction.

Among nobility

Widespread rumors have circulated surrounding the use of psychoactive substances among the Rossan elite. After purple smoke was noticed descending from the Palace of Morelio in Lorma during the Franco Morelio's (an Advisor at the time) meeting with the delegation of Deysachin, conversation has spread of the use of Kwf Ar I'Lim (commonly known as dhaas) by the high official. He would later be elected out of office following an exposure of embezzlement of state funds, which he had allegedly used to purchase the drug. He has fallen out of public life after the scandal, though comments from some members of the Six Families over the years have implied the story to be correct.

Several servants present at the event have claimed stories about the use of Niueyjara Air at the Dux's banquet, held in celebration of Dux Leo Minestrici's 44th birthday. One servant spoke about the Dux's "ecstatic enjoyment" of the psychedelic substance, although his story has not been confirmed.