from William Shakespeare’s favourite “tobacco” pipe to weed beer, here are six weird cannabis facts we bet you didn’t know.
Cannabis is over 12000 years old
We’ve actually been using cannabis medicinally since 500 BC. Emperor Shen Nung was one of several prominent historical figures using cannabis for healing purposes.
Yes, the Bard of Avon smoked pot
Well, okay. What writer doesn’t smoke weed? Our English classes like to paint William Shakespeare — probably the most famous English playwright of all time — as pretty straight laced. However, Shakespeare was more than likely a stoner like the rest of us. In his home, researchers excavated four pipes containing residue very similar to cannabis. The findings weren’t conclusive, but we do know it’s a herb that, as the man himself put it in A Country Controversy, “maketh time itself wither with sondering.” We’ll let you draw your own conclusions.
Weed cures cancer — seriously
We’re not just quoting the Vaype Naysh, bruh meme here. I’m pretty sure the phrase goes, “all comedy is based on a kernel of truth” or something. Well, the science shows that cannabis could actually hold a key to the cure for cancer. We’ve (rightfully) covered the topic a fair bit here, but the gist of it involves a mechanism that involves cannabis suffocating cancerous cells, which could potentially limit growth.
“Crossfaded” is a thing. Beer and Weed are (Sort of) The Same Plant
Canada is a trailblazer in cannabis policy, but they weren’t the first
When Canada legalized cannabis in 2018, we became the first G7 country to do so. It was a huge, president-setting landmark for cannabis and activists globally. Yet, despite the monumental victory, Canada was actually the second nation to legalize cannabis for both recreational and medical use, right behind Uruguay in 2014. In Uruguay, it is legal to grow your own weed, sell, or smoke it. It’s also one of the most widely used drugs in the nation.
Do you know about Bhang?
Bhang is kind of like a cannabis milkshake that is quite popular in Northern India. The main event for bhang is centred around Holi, the festival of colours, and it can make you high if taken in large amounts. Moreover, it also generates a feeling of euphoria and you feel that you are stuck in one phase of time. Bhang can actually be mare fairly easily at home. For those curious about this famous Northern Indian treat, why not check out our DIY recipe? Be careful though, too much bhang and well, you’ll probably end the evening with a bang, and not in a fun way.
Which of these weird cannabis facts surprised you the most? Let us know in the comments! Don’t forget to follow CLN for the latest news, editorials and more.