From:  http://www.pantless.com/~pdxnorml/7_presidents.html
[Dr. Burke, president of the American Historical Reference Society
and a consultant for the Smithsonian Institute, counted seven early
presidents as cannabis smokers:  George Washington, Thomas Jefferson,
James Madison, James Monroe, Andrew Jackson, Zachary Taylor, and
Franklin Pierce.]
An excerpt from _Hemp: Lifeline to the Future,_ by Chris Conrad.
1994, pp. 192-193, part of Chapter 16, "A World of Cannabis
Cultures." Creative Xpressions Publications, Los Angeles,
ISBN 0-9639754-1-2
$12.95 from FS Book Company (http://www.fsbookco.com),
Sacramento, 1-800-635-8883 credit cards,
916-771-4203 customer service.
American High Society
The extent of cannabis smoking during the Colonial era is still subject 
to debate. President George Washington wrote a letter that contained an 
oblique reference to what may have been hashish. "The artificial 
preparation of hemp, from Silesia, is really a curiosity." [38]
Washington made specific written references to Indian hemp, 
or cannabis indica, and hoped to "have disseminated the seed to
others." [39]  His August 7, 1765 diary entry, "began to separate
the male from the female (hemp) plants," describes a harvesting
technique favored to enhance the potency of smoking cannabis, among
other reasons. [40]  Hemp farmer Thomas Jefferson and paper maker Ben
Franklin were ambassadors to France during the initial surge of the
hashish vogue. Their celebrity status and progressive revolutionary
image afforded them ample opportunities to try new experiences.
Jefferson smuggled Chinese hemp seeds to America and is credited with
the phrase in the _Declaration of Independence_, "Life, liberty and
the pursuit of happiness."
Did the Founding Fathers of the United States of America smoke
cannabis? Some researchers think so. Dr. Burke, president of the
American Historical Reference Society and a consultant for the
Smithsonian Institute, counted seven early presidents as cannabis
smokers: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, James
Monroe, Andrew Jackson, Zachary Taylor and Franklin Pierce. [41]
"Early letters from our founding fathers refer to the pleasures of
hemp smoking," said Burke. Pierce, Taylor and Jackson, all military
men, smoked it with their troops. Cannabis was twice as popular
among American soldiers in the Mexican War as in Vietnam. Pierce
wrote to his family that it was "about the only good thing" about
that war.
Central and Western African natives were farming and harvesting
cannabis sativa in North America as slaves. If they did smoke on
the plantations, that would be kept secret. [42]  By the time of
the Louisiana purchase in 1803, New Orleans had a mixed Spanish,
French, Creole, Cajun, Mexican and Black population. The city teemed
with adventurers and sailors, wise to the ways of cannabis. It was
mixed with tobacco or smoked alone, used to season food [43], to
treat insomnia and impotence, and so on.
Cannabis was mentioned as a medicinal agent in a formal American
medical text as early as 1843. [44]
[38] A region now shared by Germany & Poland. Letter to Dr. James
Anderson, May 26, 1794. in _Writings of George Washington_.
Washington DC. vol. 33. p. 384.
[39] _Ibid._ vol. 35. p. 72
[40] Such as creating more space for females to flower for seed 
production, or to take advantage of the male fiber before it
overmatures in the field.
[41] Burke asserted that Washington & Jefferson were said to exchange
smoking blends as personal gifts. Washington reportedly preferred a
pipe full of "the leaves of hemp" to alcohol, & wrote in his diaries
that he enjoyed the fragrance of hemp flowers. Madison once remarked
that hemp gave him insight to create a new & democratic nation.
Monroe, creator of the Monroe Doctrine, began smoking it as
Ambassador to France & continued to the age of 73. Burke, "Pot &
Presidents", in _Green Egg_, CA. June 21,  1975.
[42] "That might explain some cultural differences." Aldrich, Michael,
Ph.D. 'On use of marijuana by slaves in colonial times.' in _Best of
High Times_, vol. 10, 1991, p. 61.
[43] Hakluyt, _Divers voyages touching the discoverie of America_.
London 1582.
[44] Pereira, J. _Elements of Materia Medica & Therapeutics_. Lea &
Blanchard. Philadelphia PA. 1843.
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