There could hardly be any literature aficionado who has not, at least once in their lifetime, admired the works of William Shakespeare. The life of the skilled wordsmith has always been a fascinating one and he has also been the centre of many conspiracy theories.
But, what if ardent followers of English literature were told that Shakespeare used to smoke weed? Yes, scientific research has blown the lid off the possibility of Shakespeare being under influence of dope while he penned those brilliant classics which everyone from Bollywood to Hollywood loves adapting.
Scientists from South Africa examined broken pipes found in the garden of Shakespeare’s house. Using a technique sensitive to residues of substances, they found residues of cannabis inside the pipes.
The researchers also found pipes in the neighbouring areas, and found residues of Peruvian cocaine in them. Both substances seem to be widely used in that period, and it is believed that they were merely considered as variants of tobacco used in clay pipes.
Though the residue of cannabis don’t prove for a fact that Shakespeare was a marijuana addict, scientists say that the possibility cannot entirely be ruled out. Shakespeare wrote in Sonnet 76, “Why write I still all one, ever the same / And keep invention in a noted weed.” This is seen as an indication of him smoking weed.