Drug Use in the Olde World

[Chris James]

"A joint by any other name would smell as sweet...and still get you high." Can you imagine Shakespeare writing something along those lines? Perhaps he did and we were never told about it. Research seems to indicate something in old William's pipe inspired him:

http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/shakespeare-may-have-been-a-pot-smoker-study-finds/ar-BBlCS9e?ocid=LENDHP

Old England was the crossroads of trade all those hundreds of years ago but we hardly think about the trade in marijuana, cocaine, or opiate drugs, but perhaps an ancient apothecary would handle these items. As we have all guessed from some of the things Willy wrote, he was a bad boy.

[Nigel Gordon]

Not at all surprisings, the use of cannabis was quite common in Elizabethan England as it was till late Victorian times. The original pastilles known as Turkish Delights were made using a mixture of tinctures of cannabis and opium, and that had been around from about the time of Shakespeare.

[Mihangel]

Strange that this story has suddenly bounced back into the headlines. It was reported way back in 2001, both by the BBC and by National Geographic.

[Nigel Gordon]

I thought it was familiar but could not remember where from.