I don't know what the slavery has to do here... but as for psychoactive drugs, it's not only a bad thing, it also has its upsides that are well-known, hence why humans have been consuming drugs since forever. The downsides/upsides ratio varies greatly depending on the dose and the frequency.

I think there's better education around alcohol now than there was 30 years ago (at least where I live). Still, a lot could be done, particularly for the youth, like banning pre-mixed cans and other sugary ready-to-binge beverages. Habits start early.