Scientists discover cannabis in tobacco pipes excavated from William

The Telegraph reports that marijuana residue was discovered in the 17th century pipes.

Yes, it’s being reported that there have been traces of pot found in Shakespeare’s 400-year-old tobacco pipes, which have been dug up from the playwright’s garden. The remnants were on loan from the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust.

South African scientists carried out a chemical analysis on broken pieces of pipe found in Shakespeare’s garden in Stratford-upon-Avon, as well as in the grounds of his neighbours’ homes.

In addition, The Independent’s study also uncovered a few pipes that tested positive for cocaine, although neither came from Shakespeare’s garden. Those findings were then “analyzed by Pretoria using a sophisticated technique called gas chromatography mass spectrometry”, according to the publication.

In total, the researchers found four pipes with cannabis residue.

William Shakespeare sought inspiration by smoking weed in the sort of pipe commonly referred to as a “bong”, a South African scientist has claimed.

The Cobbe portrait of William Shakespeare (1564-1616), c1610.

“One can well imagine the scenario in which Shakespeare performed his plays in the court of Queen Elizabeth, in the company of Drake, Raleigh and others who smoked clay pipes filled with “tobacco”, adds Thackeray.

Thackeray (unpublished manuscript) suggests that Shakespeare preferred Cannabis as a stimulant which had mind-stimulating properties. Yet it also pointed out that the playwright made reference to “weed” in one of his sonnets, number 76, underscoring how he may have been willing to use it for creative purposes.

“In the same sonnet it appears that he would prefer not to be associated with “compounds strange”, which can be interpreted, at least potentially, to mean “strange drugs” (possibly cocaine)”.