What is the biblical basis against the use or overuse of tobacco and other types of drugs?

Question

A common position among many Christians in America is that the use of tobacco, alcohol, and other types of drugs (marijuana, etc.) is immoral and sinful. Paul seems to indicate that, in the context of food at least, nothing should be considered forbidden:

Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, 2 through the insincerity of liars whose consciences are seared, 3 who forbid marriage and require abstinence from foods that God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. 4 For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, 5 for it is made holy by the word of God and prayer. 1 Timothy 4:1-4 ESV

What, then, is the Biblical basis for why the use of tobacco and other types of drugs are considered by many to be immoral or sinful?

Answer 1

Mason Wheeler's answer covers a lot of ground. There are some other approaches to this that are also worth considering though.

One is to look at "the law of the land" - in many countries, many drugs are illegal and therefore the Bible passages that urge us to obey and respect the laws of our countries therefore apply to drug use/misuse as well. (Example passages: Deuteronomy 17:2; Ecclesiastes 8:2-5; Matthew 22:21; 23:2-3; Romans 13:1-7; Titus 3:1; 1 Peter 2:13-17; 2 Peter 2:9-11).

Another consideration is that self-control is listed as one of the Fruits of the Spirit - something we should strive for. Many drugs diminish, remove or inhibit our ability to control ourselves - either as immediate results of taking them or by causing us to become addicted to them - and this can be construed as a Biblical argument against them.

Thirdly, there is 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 (ESV):

Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.

The context of this passage is actually talking about sexual immorality, but it's frequently used to support a wider assertion that we should look after our bodies.

Answer 2

First, beware of false premises. Food provides sustenance to the body. It contains calories and vital nutrients. Drugs do not, so it would be a mistake to equate them with food. In fact, drugs tend to have the opposite effect from food: instead of nourishing the body, they harm it.

Second, simply because "everything created by God is good," that does not mean that every possible use of everything created by God is good. Otherwise, there would be no such thing as sin at all. Hemp contains very useful fibers that make it good for building ropes, for example, and tobacco has medicinal properties that make it quite good for treating bruises. Neither of these require the plants to be taken internally.

Third, as I pointed out in another answer to a related question, a lot of modern drugs were not known in Biblical times, but abuse of the one they did know about, alcohol, is strongly condemned in the Bible. (Including by Paul, the same guy who wrote the 1 Timothy passage quoted in the question.) So it stands to reason that the use of other drugs should likewise be considered sinful.