I'm probably not the only one who doesn't like using smokeleaf for recreation, as the penalties are significant when compared to other low-addiction drugs like beer or ambrosia.
Smokeleaf joints have a niche as painkillers but that's about it - and pain is a problem best solved with bionics or implants.
Here's a few suggestions to increase the value of smokeleaf as a recreational drug - feel free to add your own:
- lower effect on consciousness - this one is obvious, as it causes the most problems. Consciousness is the most important stat, as it governs all other physical stats.
- Increase artistic by a percentage as a bonus for the duration of the drug
- Increase chance of creating a higher quality item
- Remove or reduce direct effect on movement speed - this one is particularly annoying, as smokeleaf can often down pawns because they get hit with movement reduction from both the effect itself, as well as the penalty to consciousness
- Small chance of scientific breakthrough when researching when high on smokeleaf. Effect could be extra science points or a large bonus to the pawn's research skill
- Poor man's love enhancer - slightly increased bonus from lovin'
You're probably starting to see the pattern here. Smokeleaf could have an actual purpose as "crafter fuel", giving bonuses to people who don't need high move speed and won't suffer problematic penalties from low manipulation. Basically, you keep your crafting monkeys high on leaf and in return, they have an increased chance to create higher quality items, meaning more potential value from the rescources used.
Obviously all of these effects together would be unbalanced. Either negative effects should be reduced, or the creative effects should be added. I do still think the penalty to move speed is too much. It was fun to see old/heatstricken/sick pawns keel over when they smoked a joint the first few times, but it's gotten old now.