Historical figures | Fifth Ave Green House

11 historical figures who smoked marijuana

The cannabis industry gets a lot of press attention these days because celebrities and even some politicians are involved, but this is nothing new. Famous people have enjoyed getting high since time immemorial.

For a long time, anti-cannabis propaganda spread the lie that smoking weed makes people lazy, stupid and incapable of leading successful lives.

The reality is of course quite different and these myths have largely been debunked. Weed can provide a lot of positive inspiration and

provide the ability to help take appropriate action.

As propaganda has been replaced by facts and laws have changed to favor more favorable cannabis use, some strains have become known for their ability to inspire creativity.

Cannabis lovers have always recognized and appreciated the power of cannabis to help us seize the moment, make a difference, and get a lot of work done. This has been true since ancient times, as evidenced by the fact that some of the most significant figures in human history have grown weed or enjoyed consuming it.

The list of famous historical figures who smoked weed is far too long to cover in one article, so in this article we will look at some of the more famous figures who have made a significant impact on the world.

George Washington

It's no secret that America's Founding Fathers loved to party. At least four of them are said to have grown marijuana – Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, James Madison and yes, the first U.S. President, George Washington.

Hemp was an important source of income at the time. British and American ships used hemp rope and hemp canvas for their sails. Hemp was also used for paper and other non-intoxicating purposes.

From 1619 onwards, the colonists of Jamestown were required by decree of the then King James I to support the causes of England. Anyone who did not grow hemp could even be fined.

Washington grew large quantities of marijuana and praised it enthusiastically. The plant continued to be cultivated until its use was banned by the enemies of fun, freedom and independence in the early 20th century.

After the founding of the state, Washington retired to a farm in Mount Vernon. One of the most important crops he grew was hemp.

The hemp Washington grew would likely have been used industrially rather than smoked, as the hemp he grew is different from cannabis and would have contained very little THC, making it unlikely to produce anything close to the high that marijuana does today.

While the entries in Washington's diary strongly suggest that he had a keen interest in the medicinal use of marijuana, there is no indication that he smoked weed or got high from it.

Joan of Arc

Joan of Arc, who was burned at the stake for heresy, claimed to have received visions and messages from the Archangel Michael. Although there are no written records of Joan of Arc consuming cannabis, she came from a village known for making “witches' ointments” from herbs such as cannabis.

In 1412, the holy mystic and battlefield conqueror Joan of Arc was born in a village known for the use of cannabis and other psychoactive herbs.

At the age of 15, Joan reported receiving a divine message telling her to lead Charles VII's army into battle against England so that he could be crowned King of France. Clad in armor and so bright that she could communicate with angels, Joan did just that and became a national hero.

Under the command of King Charles, Jeanne continued to fight until she fell victim to enemy fighters at the age of 19.

The Anglo-Burgundian authorities accused Joan of Arc of using “witch's herbs” and burned her at the stake. Where there's fire, there can also be smoke.

William Shakespeare

Based on A Midsummer Night's Dream alone – which features fairies, goblins and magic spells for donkeys' heads – playwright William Shakespeare seems a likely candidate for the role of the Bard of Bud.

Many Shakespeare experts have also wondered whether he alluded to cannabis use in his other works.

In 2015, a scientific study suggested that Shakespeare may have smoked marijuana while writing his sonnets and plays.

For the study, tobacco pipe fragments from Stratford-upon-Avon, Shakespeare's hometown, were analyzed. Four of them were proven to have come from the author's garden and each contained traces of cannabis.

“To burn or not to burn?” We can now guess how the Bard would answer this question.

Alexandre Dumas

Although Dumas is best known for “The Three Musketeers” and “The Count of Monte Cristo,” he was also a hashish enthusiast.

France was awash in marijuana in all forms at the time. But Dumas took his enthusiasm to a new level. He even helped found an organization called the Hashchin Club.

In English it means “The Hash Eaters Club”.

This Parisian group was dedicated to researching drug-related experiences, particularly hashish, but members also experimented with opium.

Pharaoh Ramses II

Pharaoh Ramses II, known in Greece as Ozymandias, ruled ancient Egypt from 1279 to 1213 BC. He was revered for his wisdom and leadership, and Egyptians still call him the “Great Ancestor.” Ramses the Great valued hemp so much that he took some of it with him to his tomb.

Centuries after the burial, scientists exhumed the mummy of Ramses and found cannabis pollen in the remains. Historians have also confirmed that cannabis was widely used in medicinal and religious practices in ancient Egypt.

A 26-foot-tall colossus of a king was unearthed near the tomb, believed to be Ramses the Great or Ozymandias. He led several military campaigns and expanded the empire from Syria to northern Sudan. The 1818 sonnet by Percy Bysshe Shelly contains the lines “My name is Ozymandias, King of kings: look upon my works, ye mighty ones, and despair!”

So was marijuana the X-factor in the creation of such tremendous works? That's something to think about the next time you smoke your joint.

John F. Kennedy

When we think of John F. Kennedy performing “extra-presidential” duties in his office, we usually think of movie stars like Marilyn Monroe sneaking in there.

However, author Michael O'Brien, in his 2005 biography of John F. Kennedy, claims that on July 16, 1962, Kennedy set fire to at least three bars in the White House that had been provided to him by Mary Meyer, a socialite with close connections.

O'Brien wrote that marijuana made the president paranoid, causing him to refuse a fourth joint. He told Meyer, “Let's say the Russians have done something now.”

The book also claimed that Kennedy had compared marijuana unfavorably to cocaine and offered to give Meyer coke in the future. It is all the more tragic that Kennedy did not live to see the psychedelic end of the 1960s.

Walter benjamin

The writings and teachings of Walter Benjamin, the German philosopher and anti-Nazi resistance fighter, have had a profound influence on modern thought and ideology regarding history, economics, religion, public policy, and drug abuse.

Benjamin arrived at these enlightened realizations by consuming large amounts of cannabis and taking notes on his experiences and feelings. It's more a case of the stoned philosopher than the philosopher's stone.

These notes were revised and formed the basis for his extensive academic work, which was taught and studied throughout the world.

Although Walter committed suicide by overdose of morphine in 1948, the title of Benjamin's 2006 book perfectly sums up his relationship with plants. Simply put, it's called “On Hashish.”

Christoph Columbus

For centuries, Christopher Columbus has been celebrated as the brave explorer who “discovered America.” Yet today he has a bad reputation. The colonization and genocide practiced and inspired by Columbus are not things that should continue to oppress a world that has been properly enlightened by cannabis.

But even the devil has his due: Christopher Columbus sent a shipload of marijuana from Europe to North America. The ships Nina, Pinta and Santa Maria were reportedly loaded with enough greenery to allow the captain and crew to sail the blue ocean without any problems and grow fresh plants after landing.

In fact, cannabis and Columbus are so closely linked that the base of the Columbus statue in Madrid is decorated with hand-carved cannabis leaves.

Queen Victoria

Queen Victoria, who ruled Britain from 1837 until her death in 1901, was unwittingly a pioneer of modern medicine. She was one of the first patients to be prescribed cannabis for menstrual cramps and other problems.

Like many other consumers of her time, Queen Victoria took cannabis in the form of tinctures.

Her personal physician, Sir Robert Russell, wrote extensively about the medicinal benefits of cannabis. It is believed that he made tinctures for her from cannabis he grew.

Unfortunately, recreational cannabis use is still illegal in England. Lawmakers in Westminster should take a closer look at their own history!

Hua Tuo

You may never have heard of Hua Tuo, but he's famous for inventing the world's first anesthetic. The recipe? Powdered cannabis mixed with wine. While that's not great by modern medical standards, it sure sounds like a good time.

Carl Sagan

Carl Sagan, one of the luminaries of the scientific community, was an American astronomer, cosmologist, astrophysicist, author and science communicator, and a lifelong marijuana user.

He was also known for being an advocate for the legalization of marijuana. Under the pseudonym “Mr. X,” he once wrote an essay about the positive impact marijuana had on his life and why it should be legalized. In that essay, he wrote perhaps the most compelling argument for legalization. One with which we would like to conclude this article.

“The illegality of cannabis is an outrage. It prevents the full use of a drug that helps to generate the serenity and insight, the sensitivity and community that are so desperately needed in this increasingly crazy and dangerous world.”