Acosta seems to have a bit of a preoccupation with controlled substances; like most things in his life, he seems to overdo them until they really cripple him. Despite their very physical consequences, Acosta seems to suggest that they might have more to do with symbolism than can be seen at first glance.
First, of course, one of his friends is name Maryjane, which most people know is a street name for marijuana. He also converts to being a fan of Dylan's shortly after first using marijuana.
Drugs take on a more significant role after he tries LSD, and subsequently consumes spiked champagne from Ted Casey, who becomes Owl after Acosta suffers from many grim hallucinations. The drugs' significance arises from the similarity between the descriptions of Acosta's drugged life and his clean life. Particularly of interest are the colors of the restaurant at the beginning of Ch. 5: "I tip-toe into another world of fat-red carpets, violet tablecloths, dazzling chandeliers, white camellias, red roses and purple spidermums" (60). He uses outlandish colors and bright language to communicate the visual sensuality of his environment. He could either be viewing the luxury world as an imaginary acid trip for the average man, or he is insinuating that the Owl is a fraud in the way he behaves expecting the high-life. Either way, Acosta is noting that his the new life he's trying to form is very disillusioning!
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Funny, I didn't even catch the significance in his friend's name being Maryjane. I feel fairly foolish. Anyways, you referred to the significance that can be found in his preoccupation with drugs and I would like to propose a different connection. It seems that he and drugs have a reciprocal relationship. The more he consumes them, the more they consume him and his life. Himself as he knows it is being eaten away by these toxic substances that he can't help but think out. Seeing this relationship, I can't help but think that perhaps his obsession with drugs is meant to say something about the American culture which he is living in. Though he may try to seek it out and try to establish himself as an American, he is inevitably still "different." Thus, the more he tries to be something else, the more he loses the identity which belonged to him in the start.
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