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the lord of the rings - Is the pipe-weed in Middle-earth somehow intoxicating?


Hobbits and Gandalf often smoke pipe-weed. The way it is referred to implies it may have intoxicating effects similar to marijuana.



“Both the silence and the smoke seemed greatly to annoy Saruman, and before the Council dispersed he said to Gandalf: ‘When weighty matters are in debate, Mithrandir, I wonder a little that you should play with your toys of fire and smoke, while others are in earnest speech.’ But Gandalf laughed, and replied: ‘You would not wonder, if you used this herb yourself. You might find that smoke blown out cleared your mind of shadows within. Anyway it gives patience, to listen to error without anger."



Is it supposed to be the Middle-earth version of a drug?





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