In Portland the vast majority of machines on location are at bars, so it’s really easy to get into the habit of having a few drinks while playing. Originally I never even thought about it because I wasn’t good enough to where my being sober or not would have any effect on my results. More recently I’ve realized it’s too easy to self-destruct In a tournament trying to recreate the perfect buzz you had that one time you GCed your favorite machine.
I know people who can play amazing three sheets to the wind or otherwise inebriated, and personally I’ve had good placements both drunk and sober. But I know a sober mind is easier to recreate if I’m looking for consistent results. This hobby is fun for me, and sometimes that means having a few drinks, and sometimes that means going try hard and focusing on my mental game and performance.
All that being said, if you’re purely focused on improving your results I would suggest not playing pinball under the influence of anything, even while practicing. You’re just introducing another variable in your performance that’s too hard to account for.