Science· 2026Q1
Direct evidence for psychoactive cannabis use 2800 years ago
- 0citations
- Q1SCImago
- 2026year
Short summary
Direct evidence of cannabis use dates back at least 2800 years, found as plant parts and chemical compounds in ancient human hair from a Siberian tomb.
AI-generated from the title and abstract; the full text is not read.
Key points
- Earliest direct evidence of cannabis use found in 2800-year-old human hair from Siberia.
- Analysis revealed plant parts and chemical compounds indicative of psychoactive consumption.
- Suggests cannabis was used for its psychoactive qualities across Eurasia.
- Findings anchor debates on contemporary usage and inform discussions in medicine, public health, law, and industry.
AI-generated from the title and abstract; the full text is not read.
Abstract
Cannabis is the world’s most-used illicit psychoactive plant, yet direct prehistoric evidence for its consumption is rare. In this study, we present the earliest direct evidence of cannabis use: offerings of plant parts and chemical compounds in ancient human hair recovered from a monumental tomb in Siberia. The findings suggest that the plant was used for its psychoactive qualities across Eurasia, where specific wild populations might have had naturally higher active compound levels. We show that the practice of cannabis consumption dates back at least 2800 years, anchoring debates around contemporary usage and informing discussions on cannabis in medicine, public health, law, and industry.
The authors' abstract, as published at the source. Science, 2026 · DOI ↗
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Field: Archeology (Social Sciences)
ArcheologySocial Sciences