Pubdate: Fri, 02 Mar 2001
Source: San Jose Mercury News (CA)
Copyright: 2001 San Jose Mercury News
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Author: Ravi Nessman, The Associated Press

TRACES OF POT, COKE FOUND AT SHAKESPEARE'S HOME

Analysis Of Clay Pipes Suggests Drug Use

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa -- Several 17th-century clay pipes found on the 
site of William Shakespeare's home may have been used to smoke marijuana, 
scientists reported Thursday.

The Shakespeare Birthplace Trust in Stratford-upon-Avon in England allowed 
South African researchers to analyze 24 pipe fragments in Pretoria.

Though marijuana degrades over time, eight of those pipe fragments showed 
signs suggestive of marijuana, the scientists said. Two of the pipe samples 
tested also showed evidence of cocaine.

Others showed traces of tobacco, camphor and a chemical with hallucinogenic 
properties, the study said.

"We do not claim that any of the pipes belonged to Shakespeare himself. 
However, we do know that some of the pipes come from the area in which he 
lived, and they date to the 17th century," said Francis Thackeray of the 
Transvaal Museum, one of the researchers.

Georgianna Ziegler, head of reference for the Folger Shakespeare Library in 
Washington, said scholars had no proof of narcotic use by Shakespeare, who 
lived from 1564 to 1616.

"I'm not saying that Shakespeare would never have drunk, or eaten, or 
smoked marijuana, because it was used as a medical remedy at the time. But 
we have no evidence that he ever used it for pleasure," she said.

John Henry, toxicologist and professor at London's Imperial College of 
Medicine, who was not affiliated with the study, said it was possible that 
coca leaves -- which contain a small amount of cocaine -- "were smoked by 
people in Britain in the 17th century."

Cocaine itself did not come to Britain until about 1900, but coca leaves, 
chewed by many Incas in the 1500s, were transported to Europe in the 17th 
century by Spanish explorers.

The results of the study are published in the South African Journal of Science.
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