Should you read while high was an interesting discussion. Always been interested in the history of cannabis and while eating a quick mid afternoon lunch got stuck on this youtube video about the Legend of the Assissins. ( Should I watch youtube while high 
) The reason I bring up the “Should you read while high” is one of the oldest cannabis clubs in the world was formed around 1844 by some notable writers, poets and philosophers of the time, Club des Hashishins ( Club of hashish eaters ).
Whats interesting about the video is the presenter questions if the assassins did in fact use hash before battle, and thinks not. However, if you consider evidence that the vikings and zulu warriors used cannabis, you would without question think that the assassins used cannabis to.
Home of the Assissins
From ‘The Travels of Marco Polo/Book 1/Chapter 23, circa 1300’
“Mulehet is a country in which the Old Man of the Mountain dwelt in former days; and the name means “Place of the Aram.” I will tell you his whole history as related by Messer Marco Polo, who heard it from several natives of that region.
The Old Man was called in their language ALOADIN. He had caused a certain valley between two mountains to be enclosed, and had turned it into a garden, the largest and most beautiful that ever was seen, filled with every variety of fruit. In it were erected pavilions and palaces the most elegant that can be imagined, all covered with gilding and exquisite painting. And there were runnels too, flowing freely with wine and milk and honey and water; and numbers of ladies and of the most beautiful damsels in the world, who could play on all manner of instruments, and sung most sweetly, and danced in a manner that it was charming to behold. For the Old Man desired to make his people believe that this was actually Paradise. So he had fashioned it after the description that Mohammad gave of his Paradise, to wit, that it should be a beautiful garden running with conduits of wine and milk and honey and water, and full of lovely women for the delectation of all its inmates. And sure enough the Saracens of those parts believed that it was Paradise!
Now no man was allowed to enter the Garden save those whom he intended to be his ASHISHIN. There was a Fortress at the entrance to the Garden, strong enough to resist all the world, and there was no other way to get in. He kept at his Court a number of the youths of the country, from 12 to 20 years of age, such as had a taste for soldiering, and to these he used to tell tales about Paradise, just as Mohammad had been wont to do, and they believed in him just as the Saracens believe in Mohammad. Then he would introduce them into his garden, some four, or six, or ten at a time, having first made them drink a certain potion which cast them into a deep sleep, and then causing them to be lifted and carried in. So when they awoke, they found themselves in the Garden.”
