And why not !
Research published this month in The Journal of Archaeological Science by a team of scientists shows that people who lived in Milan during the 17th century used cannabis for medicinal, and, possibly, recreational purposes.
A teenage boy and a woman in her 50s who were buried sometime between 1638 and 1697 were analysed using a unique toxicology method which found traces of both tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) in their thigh bones.
In total the team of scientists and archaeologists examined samples from the remains of nine people found buried underneath Milan’s Ca’ Granda hospital. Radiocarbon dating confirms they were all buried sometime in the 17th century.
Records dating from the same period do not mention cannabis as a medicine used by the hospital which might suggest that people buried there may have been using weed at home to help with medical conditions, or perhaps for recreational purposes.
The discovery of cannabis in the skeletal remains of our pre-modern ancestors is a world first, which is partly due to the limited number of laboratories where this type of experiment can be conducted, and also because at the time when these people lived cannabis was prohibited under order from the Pope.
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THC and CBD found in 17th-century bone samples suggests pre-modern Italians may have loved weed
