Chems

Chem (a truncation of chemical) is post-apocalyptic slang for drug. Each chem has a specific effect. Many lower some of a player's stats while increasing others. Abusing chems results in addiction. Addiction can result in lowered stats unless you continue to take the drug on a regular basis or get cured by visiting a doctor.

A chem is any chemical, medicinal or otherwise, used to affect changes in a person's behavior or biological systems. Various chems are known to exist in the wasteland. Some beneficial and some not. Remember: Always consult your Vault-Tec certified medical professional before consuming any foreign substance. Severe reactions, such as death or addiction, may occur if used improperly. You have been warned. Enjoy your travels!

Types of Chems
Throughout the Wasteland, multiple types of chems can, and will, be found. Chems can be divided into two groups: Addictive, and Non-Addictive. Usually the Non-Addictive Chems are used far more often by player characters, whereas the Addictive Chems are usually located on or around NPCs.

Addictive Chems
These Chems include:
 * After Burner Gum
 * Ant Nectar
 * Berry Mentats
 * Buffout
 * Cherry Nuka-Cola
 * Classic Nuka-Cola
 * Fusion Nuka-Cola
 * Grape Mentats
 * Jet
 * Med-X
 * Mentats
 * Nuka Cola (In Fallout and Fallout 2)
 * Nuka-Cola Quantum
 * Orange Mentats
 * Psycho
 * Rad Away (In Fallout, Fallout 2 and Fallout Tactics)
 * Ultrajet
 * Voodoo
 * Any type of alcoholic beverage (Beer, Booze, Gamma Gulp Beer, Moonshine, Ol' Flakey, Roentgen Rum, Rot Gut, Scotch, Vodka, Whiskey, Wine and XXXXXBeer).

Non-Addictive Chems
These Chems include:
 * Adapted Biogel
 * Alcohol-Z
 * Alien Biogel
 * Antidote
 * Ant Queen Pheromones
 * Bawls
 * Cookie
 * Elixir of Life
 * Fire Ant Nectar
 * Healing Powder
 * Ice Cold Nuka-Cola
 * Jet Antidote
 * Hypo
 * Mississippi Quantum Pie
 * Monument Chunk
 * Mutated Toe
 * Mutie
 * NukaLurk Meat
 * Nuka Cola (In Fallout 3)
 * Rad Away (In Fallout 3)
 * Rad-X
 * Refined Punga Fruit
 * Stimpak
 * Super Stimpak
 * Trauma Pack
 * Ultra Stimpak
 * Wild Punga Fruit
 * Yao Guai Meat

Curing an Addiction in Fallout 3
To cure an addiction, a player has several choices. He or she can:


 * 1) Seek out a Wasteland Doctor and pay them a certain amount of Caps to rid themselves of addiction.
 * 2) Use the My First Laboratory (Fallout 3, after being purchased by the player for either their Megaton Home or their Tenpenny Tower Suite.
 * 3) Take more of the Chem that they are addicted to until one of the above options can be taken.

Resisting Addiction
There are a few ways to resist addiction in Fallout. He or she can:


 * 1) Purchase a perk called Chemist. This allows chems to last twice as long, thus it should prevent addiction a whole lot less. Med:60+.
 * 2) Purchase a perk called Chem Resistant. This perk gives you a 50% resistance to any addicting chems such as Buffout or Jet. Med:60+.

Behind the scenes
In the release of Fallout 3 in Australia, the game was banned for including references to real drugs. A report was released by the OFLC on why it banned the game. The following is a part of report that was released:

"The game contains the option to take a variety of "chems" using a device which is connected to the character's arm. Upon selection of the device a menu selection screen is displayed. Upon this screen is a list of "chems" that the player can take, by means of selection. These "chems" have positive effects and some negitave effects (lowering of intelligence, or the character may become addicted to the "chem"). The positive effects include increase in strength, stamina, resistance to damage, agility and hit points.

''Corresponding with the list of various "chems" are small visual representation of the drugs, these include syringes, tablets, pill bottles, a crack-type pipe and blister packs. In the Board's view these realistic visual representations of drugs and their delivery method bring the "science-fiction" drugs in line with "real-world" drugs."''

One of the reasons for the ban was of the opiate painkiller, morphine being one of the chems that would have been available to use by the player. As a result of the ban Bethesda decided to have morphine renamed to Med-X. Evidence of this last minute change is the fact Med-X's editor ID is still "Morphine" and Med-X addiction's editor ID is "WithdrawalMorphine".