always something i've wondered

you're thinking about it now...google that shit

 

No, cannabis started in Eastern civilization then worked its way to the Europeans, it only got to America via Christopher Columbus in his expedition to the West Indies, in short no. But Chinese cultures have had it since way back when, like 5,000 B.C.

 

there is no doubt in my mind that native americans smoked weed.

they smoked a lot of different shit, some of it had to be weed.

 

Cannabis is an old world plant, so logically no, they did not.

 

Also, pilgrims brought hemp with them, not drug strains.

Drug strains were probably imported by individuals later. Southeast asian drug strains came to south america later on too, thats why there is now land-race drug strains growing all over south and central america.

Cannabis originated in the himilayan region well after the continents separated, which was a couple dozen to hundred million years ago. Cannabis is not that old.

 

Well thats not to say, other world explorers didnt land there from Mexico or South America with it, its definently a possibility, but they werent introduced to the plant because by the 1500's, all the Europeans used for cloths and textiles and sails was hemp. Indians meanwhile were still using animal hides, if they knew of cannabis, they would have used it for their houses and clothes, not continue using animal hides, as far as history, it was introduced to Europeans because of increased trades to India and eventually other Asian countries.