Resumen

THACKERAY, Francis. Use of cocaine and cannabis in 17th-century Italy and England, with reference to Shakespeare. S. Afr. j. sci. [online]. 2025, vol.121, n.9-10, pp.1-3. ISSN 1996-7489.  https://doi.org/10.17159/sajs.2025/21465.

SIGNIFICANCE: • Chemical evidence for the use of cocaine (Erythroxylum) and cannabis (Cannabis) in the early 17th century has been obtained from corpses in a crypt in Milan. • Chemical evidence for the smoking of cocaine and cannabis is indicated from chemical analyses of early 17th-century clay 'tobacco' pipes from England. • The combination of literary and chemical evidence supports a hypothesis that William Shakespeare used hemp/cannabis for creative writing ("invention in a noted weed", Sonnet 76). • There is no evidence that the Bard used Erythroxylum. Sonnet 76 relates to turning away from "compounds strange", i.e. strange drugs. • There was a need to be cryptic about the smoking of cannabis in the 17th century.

Palabras clave : cannabis; cocaine; tobacco pipe; Shakespeare; 17th century.

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