Use or not of any food or plant should be a church or peer group teaching thing. Not a government thing. Where in the Constitution does government have any authority over that?
The problem is entitlement programs which steal from the productive to give to the unproductive. Without government welfare people would soon learn what they can consume for themselves and still have the support of peers.
If I were to join a church or group that doesn't encourage moderation, frugality, and discipline - I would probably soon find out that only my tithes were worth anything :-)
You have an interesting take on this, onceupon....Much of our Constitution was conditioned by and based upon commonly accepted Christian precepts even though many of the country's founders were not Christian but Deists.
I have read that the founders prevailing thought on "welfare and benevolence" were based on Scripture such as Ephesians 5: 28 " Let him that stole steal no more; but rather let him labor, working with his hands the thing which is good that he may have to give to him that needeth." Also, 2 Thessalonians 3:10-12, "For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat. For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies. Now then that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread."
These portions of Scripture are the reason that in the early days of America, benevolence was the domain of the churches and not the government, and it was only when churches neglected their responsibilities that the government usurped their authority and created an immoral system which helped turn honest men into wards of the state.
Any biblical church does indeed teach among other things "moderation, frugality, and self-discipline." Sadly many churches are becoming less biblical and more politically correct and with "another gospel" than that which Christ established. WEN