Drugs and Alcohol in Dreams...
Interesting thread...
In my dream experience there have only been a few instances that involved drugs. While interpreting dreams I've found that in order to understand the meaning of the image you must first examine the influence in question.
For instance, what is the effect of the drug? What does it do to you physically? Does it Numb (cocaine), does it relax (marijuana), does it amplify passion (Ecstasy), does it reduce inhibitions (alcohol), does it reduce stress (cigarettes), does it induce anger (vodka), does it cause hallucinations (LSD, Mushrooms), how destructive is it (herion), how addictive is it (crack). Also, factor in your opinion of the drug or your experience with it. Often, drugs in dreams tie in to personal/romantic relationships and careers. For instance, is there someone you witnessed going through a hard time with addiction? Or...is there an issue you are trying to block out? If there is a part of you that you are trying to ignore, cocaine in a dream would "numb" that part of you (your physical, mental, emotional or spiritual side).
I once had a dream wherein I discovered that my boyfriend at the time had a cocaine factory underground in a cave. When I asked him about it his reply was, "Where do you think I get all my money?" In reality, he didn't do cocaine. What he DID do was bury himself in his job to avoid intimacy...with his son, with me, with his son's mother, etc. His excuse was always, "I have to work." It was not as though he really needed the money, he needed the Escape. He worked overtime out of fear of intimacy. The closer we got, the more he worked. It was interesting to observe his behavior, no matter how painful it was to be ignored.
Similarly, I've had dream clients who would have dreams about alcohol, no matter the level of their consumption or whether they even liked it. In working with several of them, I discovered that when they ran into an issue that dealt with love, sex, intimacy, honesty, etc. (whether as a result of childhood trauma, past hurts, current phobias, present partner cheating, whatever...) they would have a dream that involved alcohol. I found a common denominator in that several of them didn't feel "ready" for sexual activity until they had the buzz they were looking for. In others, it revealed their "altered" perceptions of what sex is and how it impacts you. It illustrated their "clarity" on the topic. Were they dealing with their waking life experience clearly or were they trying to "Blur" it in some way in an effort to cope? The truthful answers were always fascinating.
I didn't mean for this to get so long, I merely wanted to share a snippit of my findings. I feel that the personal symbology would be your biggest clue. Since drugs alter the consciousness, I would think that their presence in a dream offers insight into how you are coping with life experiences. The entire topic is interesting.
I also find it interesting that in some the effects can be felt after waking. I think it goes to show you the connection between spirit and being in the physical.
Just wanted to share my thoughts. Anyone have anything similar or something to add? Thanks for reading!