I made this thread mainly just to ask this question: Is the Halflings leaf meant to be a narcotic? I ask this because of a few statements in the books, for example Saruman says to Gandalf: "Too much of the halfling's leaf has addled your mind", tobacco does not addle one's mind as far as I know. Also add to this Saruman's large supply of it at Orthanc and implied addiction (not sure if the addiction was implied, or if that's just me misremembering.)

No.

Cannabis was probably the wrong term to use, but was it meant to be a narcotic of some sort?