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10 Famous Historical Figures Who Had a Connection with Cannabis

Cannabis in History

There was a time when cannabis wasn't persecuted—it was respected. Throughout history, this unique plant has reappeared time and again: in royal courts, secret clubs, on the desks of poets and scientists, or tucked into a jazz musician’s blazer pocket. Whether used as industrial hemp, for medicinal purposes or for spiritual exploration, cannabis has played a vital role in humanity’s development over the centuries. Yet, for a long time, we only whispered about it. But if we scratch the surface of history just a bit, surprising names and stories begin to emerge.

Would you have guessed that the discoverer of the DNA structure worked under the influence of mind-altering substances? That in Victorian England, the Queen’s physician treated her with cannabis? Or that the world’s most famous pop band took a completely new musical direction after just one encounter with weed?

This article doesn’t deal in myths—it presents real, documented stories of famous individuals who, either publicly or secretly, came into contact with cannabis. Our goal isn’t to romanticize, but to understand: to see how deeply and in how many ways this plant has been woven into human culture, thought and even the evolution of science and the arts.

So let’s embark on a special journey where science, literature, politics and music all meet in the shadow of the cannabis leaf.

10 Famous Historical Figures Connected to Cannabis

1. Queen Victoria – The Queen of Pain Relief

It’s a lesser-known fact that Queen Victoria, one of the longest-reigning monarchs of the British Empire, regularly used cannabis for gynecological issues. Her personal physician, Sir J. Russel Reynolds, specifically recommended the plant in the late 1800s for relieving menstrual pain and stated: “Cannabis is one of the most valuable medicines we possess.”

2. William Shakespeare – The Poet and the “Curious Substances”

The world’s most famous playwright has long been suspected of being open to mind-altering substances. In 2015, pipe fragments containing traces of cannabis were discovered in Stratford-upon-Avon. Some of his sonnets also contain references to “strange compounds” and “familiar herbs.”

3. Louisa May Alcott – The Rebellious Voice of Women Writers

The author of Little Women left her mark not only through literature, but also with her candid writing about the effects of cannabis. In Perilous Play, she describes the mind-altering experience in such vivid detail that many believe she must have drawn from personal experience. “A heavenly dream in which pain, fear and worry cease to exist,” she wrote.

4. Malcolm X – The Messenger of Consciousness and the Streets

Malcolm X's name is now inseparable from the civil rights movement, but in his youth he walked a very different path. During his years in Harlem, he sold cannabis to jazz musicians and described this period in detail in his autobiography. He was one of the first “traveling dealers,” regularly moving along the East Coast of the U.S. in pursuit of “green gold.”

5. Carl Sagan – Master of Astronomy and Expanded Consciousness

Carl Sagan, the legendary scientist who brought the universe closer to humanity, was secretly a passionate cannabis enthusiast. In an essay written under the pseudonym “Mr. X,” he confessed that the plant helped him gain deeper insight into music, food, sex and the workings of the cosmos. For him, cannabis served as an ally of the intellect.

6. Alexandre Dumas – Novels Born in the Shadow of Hashish

The genius of French literature, Alexandre Dumas – author of The Count of Monte Cristo and The Three Musketeers – was not only a writer but also a member of a hashish club. The “Club des Hashischins,” an elite Parisian circle, regularly met to consume sweet cannabis-based confections of Arabic origin. In this literary scene, creativity and psychoactive substances were closely intertwined.

7. Barack Obama – The President of the “Choom Gang”

Before his path led to the White House, Barack Obama was a member of the “Choom Gang,” a group of friends in Hawaii known for their cannabis use — complete with their own rules, such as skipping a turn if someone didn’t inhale properly. Obama later openly acknowledged his youthful experimentation with cannabis.

8. Francis Crick – The Decoder of DNA

The co-discoverer of the DNA double helix was also no stranger to the world of psychedelics. According to some sources, Crick regularly used LSD and cannabis to expand his mind and support creative thinking. As a founding member of the British activist group "Soma", he also spoke out in favor of cannabis legalization.

9. Queen Elizabeth I – The Hemp Decree of the Empire

While it’s unclear whether she ever consumed it herself, Queen Elizabeth I played a key role in spreading cannabis – industrially. Like her father, King Henry VIII, she mandated landowners to grow hemp for ropes and sails. The success of the British Navy quite literally depended on hemp.

10. The Beatles – Pioneers of the Psychedelic Era

In 1964, Bob Dylan introduced marijuana to the Beatles – and the world of pop music was never the same. From that moment on, their sound became more spiritual, creative and free. Paul McCartney later said the experience “opened new doors in the mind.”

Green Inspiration Through the Lens of History

From monarchs to poets, scientists to musicians – cannabis has been present in every era. Some used it for physical pain relief, others for enhancing creativity or seeking spiritual insight. This green plant is not only a part of the past – it’s part of the future. Time and again, it proves that cannabis doesn’t just intoxicate – it connects, teaches and inspires.

Grow Island note:This article also highlights that cannabis isn’t just a “modern rebellion,” but an ancient companion. If you're curious about the past, present and future of this plant, join us on the Grow Island blog and discover what this extraordinary herb can truly do.

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