Today I didn't learn, so much as realize...
Everybody makes the joke about "Mario is on shrooms" but I realized ALL the power ups, through super mario 3, are drug references.
Mushrooms - Magic Mushrooms. Duh. Distort your perception of reality. "Did I just get bigger, or did the world just get smaller?"
Fire Flower - Poppy (Opium). For when Shrooms aren't enough, fire up your opium pipe.
Leaf - Mariujana. You smoke it, you feel like you're flying/floating.
Star - PCP. "Angel Dust." Makes you feel like you're invincible.
Frog - Licking psychoactive toads.
Tanooki - Mythological tanuki are often depicted carrying sake bottles. Alcohol can both make you fly AND think you are invincible.
Hammers - A "Hammer" is a kind of drug pipe with a short, slender stem and and oversized bowl.
P-block - Prescription drugs. There goes all your money. But sometimes you have to have to use it legitimately for a problem.
Goomba Shoe - I dunno man, it's
laced with something...