There is certainly so much contradictory Absinthe information available on the web and in books, it’s hard to understand what to believe.
Deceptive Absinthe Information
One book “Absinthe The Cocaine of the 19th Century: A History of the Hallucinogenic Drug and its Effect on Artists and Writers in Europe and the United States” by Doris Lanier, compares Absinthe to drugs like cocaine since it was considered to be addictive absinthekit, to present feelings of euphoria, have psychedelic effects and weaken mental performance and other faculties.
Absinthe became well known at the end of the 19th century and early 20th century, a time referred to as “The Great Binge”. This has been a time in the past when lots of today’s illegal drugs like crack cocaine, morphine and heroin were created and utilized by normal everyday people for medicine, on prescription for coughs etc. as well as in drinks. Popular drinks in bars were Absinthe, Vin Maraiani (cocaine and wine) and Coca Cola (then manufactured from cocaine, wine and kola nuts). These drugs and drinks were all believed to be harmless and were widely consumed throughout Europe.
Absinthe was linked with these drugs for its popularity with Bohemian artists and writers, who liked to overindulge to help their creativity, and also the loose morals of the courtesans on the Moulin Rouge and Montmartre.
Thujone, the compound in wormwood, was likewise claimed to be psychoactive and equivalent to THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) in the drug cannabis (marijuana). Both THC and Thujone are terpenoids and so are both from essential oils but THC affects the central nervous system whereas thujone influences the GABA receptors in the brain. When wormwood is smoked as a joint or used in big amounts, it’s been known to cause effects similar to cannabis intoxication – to cause hallucinations and fantasies, to make anyone feel euphoric, to relieve pain also to work as an aphrodisiac.
Absinthe was banned together with some drugs during the early 1900s and was made illegal to buy and sell in lots of countries around the world. Now that we know that its ban was only a part of the hysteria of the time. People lumped Absinthe, the Green Fairy, in conjunction with drugs like heroin (the White Fairy), cannabis and cocaine as well as presently there are numerous people and websites who mention Absinthe in the exact same sentence as magic mushrooms, LSD, weed, cannabis and ecstasy.
Absinthe Information – What we now know
We all know that medical studies on Absinthe and wormwood in the past were not accurate and were “colored” because of the prohibition movement of that time period and also the worry that Absinthe was a drug. Recent surveys have established that Absinthe, once it is actually distilled, only contains very small amounts of thujone – insufficient to cause any harmful negative effects or hallucinations, which is simply a myth. Even tests on vintage pre ban Absinthe indicates that it hardly comprised any thujone in any way. Someone would die of alcohol poisoning a long time before suffering any unwanted side effects from thujone.
Outcomes from studies and research have triggered many countries to legalize Absinthe again therefore the Green Fairy can now be enjoyed in bars and in homes across the world.
Though it might not exactly cause you to trip or get high, it is possible to get drunk on Absinthe because of its high proof. It has twice the alcohol content of spirits like vodka or whisky so care should be taken when drinking it. Should you get drunk on Absinthe you’ll likely experience an exceptionally different intoxication than you would experience from other spirits or fermented products. Many describe it as being a “lucid” or “clear headed” kind of drunkenness. This can be explained via the mixture of herbs as well as the alcohol – a mixture of sedatives and stimulants. Many people enhance these qualities by developing cocktails containing Absinthe as well as the caffeine loaded drink Red Bull!
So, you will be disappointed if you believe many of the misleading Absinthe information and acquire Absinthe to provide vivid hallucinations. However, it’s a great tasting herbal alcoholic beverage which happens to be fun to make and it has a great anise flavor. You can even enjoy making your own personal wormwood Absinthe at home by utilizing real, top-quality Absinthe essences from AbsintheKit.com – a great and economical approach to enjoy Absinthe.