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In Brave New World, drugs aren't just pretty common; they're distributed en masse by the government. Yes, the government. So much for Just Say No, right? The drug in question here is soma, a hallucinogen described as "the perfect drug," with all the benefits (calming, surrealistic, ten-hour long highs) and none of those pesky drawbacks (you know, like brain damage). The citizens of the "World State" have been conditioned to love the drug, and they use it to escape any momentary bouts of dissatisfaction. And we mean any sense of dissatisfaction. The problem, as one character identifies, is that the citizens are essentially enslaved by the drug and turned into mindless drones. So while the government may encourage drug use, it only does so as a means of further controlling the population. How much power do these guys need?
The need for soma represents the failure of the World State to adequately satisfy its citizens.
Soma is the World State's most powerful tool to subdue and control its citizens. Without soma, even hypnopaedia would be ineffective.