Does this look like the face of a well-known English poet and playwright who might have dabbled in some marijuana toking?
Meh, why not?
A South African anthropologist wants to exhume the remains of William Shakespeare to test the Bard’s fingernails and hair for traces of pot. Francis Thackeray, director of the Institute for Human Evolution at the University of Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, believes that the deceased poet may have indulged in the smoking of cannabis when he was alive. Thackeray bases his hypothesis on the discovery of pot residue on pipe fragments found in Shakespeare’s garden.
From NBC Connecticut…
Thackeray says he found evidence in 2001 of marijuana residue on pipe fragments found in Shakespeare’s garden. Pot was grown in England at the time and was used to make textiles and rope, according to LiveScience. The Bard’s Sonnet 76 refers to a “noted weed,” as well.
“If there is any hair, if there is any keratin from the fingernails or toenails, then we will be in a position to undertake chemical analysis on extremely small samples for marijuana,” Thackeray told LiveScience.
Thackeray needs permission from the Church of England to dig up Shakespeare’s remains, which doesn’t seem to likely. Even if he does get permission, and does find evidence that the Bard was a pothead, then what? Do we attribute Shakespeare’s writing prowess to his indulgence in the Mary Jane? Do we start referring to him as William “Cheech” Shakespeare?
Unlikely on both counts.
