You definitely learned a thing or two about these notable figures during your classroom studies, but we bet your teacher didn’t mention that they all smoked weed. We’re here to school you.
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People love smoking weed. They always have, and they always will. So, it should come as no surprise that some of our favorite historical figures we learned about in school dabbled in the recreational (and medicinal!) cannabis scene.
While these historical celebrities probably didn’t quite use the Tsunami 1000X Vaporizer Pen, they certainly got the job done somehow. Here are some of the most notable examples, from George Washington to Joan of Arc.
George Washington
After founding our nation, Washington retired to a farm in Mount Vernon. There, he mostly grew hemp. Entries in Washington’s diary strongly suggest he had an affinity for the medical use of marijuana.
Joan of Arc
Joan of Arc was burned at the stake for heresy, having claimed to receive visions and messages from the Archangel Michael. Although there’s no written record of Joan of Arc consuming cannabis, she came from a village that was well-known for its medicinal herbs, including cannabis.
Shakespeare
At Shakespeare’s home in Stratford-Upon-Avon, researchers found clay pipes with cannabis residue. When you combine that with the mention of a ‘noted weed’ in one of his sonnets, it’s not hard to imagine Shakespeare enjoying a hand-rolled while doing his writing. Our take? Imagine Hamlet if Shakespeare had an Arcatek Button Cube at his disposal, instead of some old clay pipes.
Alexandre Dumas
Although known primarily for The Three Musketeers andThe Count of Monte Cristo, Dumas was also a hash enthusiast. In fact, he even helped found an organization called the Club des Hashishchins. In English? The Club of Hash-Eaters.
Pharaohs of Egypt
Egyptian civilization lasted nearly 3000 years, during which time a great number of pharaohs ruled the land around the Nile. When researchers examined the mummy of Ramesses II, cannabis pollen was found in abundance. In addition, medical records from the Egyptians also describe numerous uses for cannabis.
JFK
This one isn’t exactly a secret. Predating the drug war, JFK was said to use marijuana to cope with back pain. In fact, one account from John F. Kennedy: A Biography tells of JFK enjoying three joints with a woman named Mary Meyer. Perhaps it’s for the best that JFK existed before he could get his hands on a Tsunami Microscope Waterpipe.
Carl Sagan
At age 35, astronomer Carl Sagan wrote an essay under a pen name advocating for the legalization of marijuana. In fact, his wife even served on the board of directors at NORML.
Christopher Columbus
When Columbus set sail for the New World, it’s said that he made sure to bring plenty of cannabis seeds. If his crew were to get shipwrecked or marooned, at least they could plant some crops.
Hua Tuo
You may not have heard of him, but Hua Tuo is known for having invented the world’s first anesthetic. The recipe? Powdered cannabis mixed with wine. While it’s not great by modern medicine’s standards, it does sound like a good time.
Queen Victoria
Despite being a symbol of everything prim and proper, Queen Victoria was certainly given cannabis for its medicinal purposes. In fact, her private doctor even went on record as saying: “When pure and administered carefully, [cannabis] is one of the most valuable medicines we possess.”
This story originally appeared at The Fresh Toast