[beambot]

Lots of things alter your subjective reality: reading (books, news, Reddit), watching TV and movies, imagination, travel, drugs, art, music, meditation, diversity, etc. The reasons for why people seek them out are just as varied. Not sure why chemical substances used moderately and responsibly get a bad rap...

[dpc59]

Because people who don't use substances only see the people who don't use them responsibly as "substance users". They can't tell for all the other people, so to them drug abuse is inherent to drug use.

[pizza]

Probably related to the 'sacrifice' of the basically-exiled users who had nowhere to get external help for moderating use.

[xtian]

Right and so if the reasons are benign then there's nothing to be done. Sorry if that was unclear.