Every so often, I find myself reading history and thinking ‘were they on DRUGS?’ Well, the probably answer is: Yes! Alexander the Great was a sloppy drunk and William Shakespeare was a stoner; Steve Jobs believed taking LSD helped him create the Apple computer, and Sigmund Freud loved cocaine so much he took it all the time and prescribed it to his patients. Hard to believe? Don’t worry, in Human History on Drugs, Sam Kelly gives us the receipts. Here’s more of that peculiar history your teachers never told you. With chapters spanning from Ancient Greece (“The Oracle of Delphi Was Huffing Fumes”) to modern times (“Carl Sagan Got Astronomically High”), Kelly's research covers all manner of eras, places, and, of course, drugs.History is rife with drug use and drug users, and Human History on Drugs takes us through those highs (pun intended) and lows on a witty and entertaining ride that uncovers their mind-boggling impact on our past. Join us to chat live with Sam, and get a preview of the book by visiting his mega-hit TikTok!
Episode was recorded live July 23, 2026.
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