The Norse Did Not Do Drugs

Vikings

The discovery of some hemp rope at a Viking site in southern Denmark recently led to the wild claims that Vikings smoked marijuana, and further extrapolated that the Norse also consumed other drugs.

There is no evidence or even any indication whatsoever, in Norse texts or oral traditions, in archeological discoveries, or in any credible research, that Vikings consumed marijuana or any other type of drugs. The presence of hemp products or even seeds cannot reasonably be linked to the consumption of marijuana. Hemp would have also had to be imported into most of Scandinavia as it is not a plant you can grow during our long and dark winters, and its use, even from an utilitarian perspective, would have been greatly limited.

From a practical point of view, the consumption of marijuana would have also been highly inconsistent with raiding or fighting. Marijuana pacifies men and lowers testosterone levels. It impedes sexual functions, lowers reaction time, affects coordination, and decreases short term memory. Marijuana also leads to psychosis, paranoia, anxiety, panic attacks, and hallucinations. The drug also lowers IQ and impairs thinking. All highly lethal conditions in a combat environment.

Berserkir

A single undocumented claim in 1789, nearly a millennium after the Viking age, from a priest who despised the Norse and would have done anything to discredit them in the name of his church, does not constitute a historical fact. Even if the concept was later picked up by the entertainment industry or a revisionist community with no credibility when it comes to Norse facts and history.

The fact is, Berserkir never consumed psychedelic drugs, including mushrooms. Or any other drugs, such as marijuana, for that matter.

From a practical perspective, anyone with any combat experience would understand that the use of drugs, particularly psychedelic mushrooms, would be a warrior’s worst nightmare. Mushrooms indeed give you hallucinations. They distort, mix, and alter your senses. They cause confusion and disorientation, fear and paranoia. Mushrooms also weaken your muscles and increase your heart rate, blood pressure, body temperature, and sweating. They can even make you throw up and soil yourself.

There is also simply no evidence whatsoever of Berserkir consuming any drugs. To the contrary. Actual oral traditions refer to Bersekir simply being exceptional men with exceptional natural combat capabilities, which those of us with a special forces background can certainly relate to. Furthermore, alternate states of consciousness were reached through self control, as it is the case with Úlfhéðnar, with battle frenzies, as described in various texts and oral traditions, being triggered by mere exposure to high levels of androsterone, a male hormone linked to testosterone.