U.S. & World History – Thomas Alva Edison (February 11, 1847 – October 18, 1931) was an American inventor and businessman. He was a prolific inventor that developed many devices that greatly influenced life around the world, holding 1,093 US patents in his name, as well as many patents in the United Kingdom, France, and Germany. But a little known fact is, one of his greatest inventions was inspired by his curiosity regarding the effects of marijuana. According to a page out of his daily journal written in 1878, Edison wrote, “I just smoked two joints and the solution immediately came to me on how to finally create a functional and practical incandescent lamp. I must write the concept down now while I’m feeling feel light headed.”
