Would Ether, Bitshares, Maid and even Steem have value if Bitcoin was not used for purchasing mind-altering substances?
What's the effect of all this?

Well for me this ment that without this value of bitcoin and the way the internet (dark net) changed that I would not have been able to to my project. https://steemit.com/art/@mauricemikkers/how-micrography-sparked-my-interest-in-the-evolving-online-drug-trade. And it also created I think a eye opener ( leak into the collective unconsciousness) when it comes to using art and science to show the people how things look from a different perspective.