Identifying What are the Dangers of Absinthe?
Absinthe is renowned for being the hallucinogenic drink which was banned in early 1900s after it sent people insane and drove individuals to murder and suicide. Seeing that Absinthe has once again been legalized, so many people are clearly asking “What are the dangers of Absinthe?”
Absinthe is a strong liquor which is distilled at high proof but usually served diluted with iced water or perhaps in cocktails. It has an anise taste and is also flavored with natural herbs which includes common wormwood (Artemisia Absinthium), fennel and aniseed.
Absinthe carries a very vibrant history. It was formerly created as an elixir or medicinal tonic in Switzerland in the late eighteenth century but rapidly absinthe poster shop shot to popularity in the period of history known as La Belle Epoque during the nineteenth century. The Green Fairy, as Absinthe was known, was especially popular in France and bars even had specific Absinthe hours. Renowned drinkers of Absinthe which includes Van Gogh, Degas, Pablo Picasso, Oscar Wilde and Ernest Hemingway all credit Absinthe with providing them with their enthusiasm and being their “muse”.
As well as being associated with the Golden Age of La Belle Epoque, Absinthe is regretably linked with “The Great Binge” of 1870-1914, a period when cocaine was utilized in cough drops and beverages and where heroin was used to make children’s cough medicine. Absinthe started to be linked to these drugs, particularly with cannabis. It had been reported that the thujones present in wormwood in Absinthe was similar to THC in cannabis and that thujones were psychoactive and caused psychedelic effects. Quite a few people were believing that the Green Fairy made you see green fairies, that Absinthe was an hallucinogen.
The medical career and prohibition activity made many claims about the hazards of Absinthe and Absinthism, continuous drinking of Absinthe. They supposed that Absinthe covered large amounts of thujone which caused:-
– Hallucinations and delirium
– Convulsions
– Weakening of the intellect
– Insanity
– Addiction
– Brain damage
– Violence
– Death
It had been believed that Absinthe drove Van Gogh to suicide as well as made a person murder his family.
So, are these assertions true or could they be urban misguided beliefs?
These claims happen to be proved false by recent research studies. Let’s look at the important points:-
– The man who murdered his family had consumed two glasses of Absinthe earlier while in the day after which copious amounts of other spirits and liquors. He was obviously a recognized alcoholic and a violent man.
– Van Gogh was a disturbed person who had suffered bouts of depressive disorder and mental illness since childhood years.
– Thujone isn’t like THC.
– Thujone can be harmful and may act on the GABA receptors of the brain causing spasms and convulsions but only when consumed in large quantities.
– Absinthe only consists of really small levels of thujone, insufficient to pose any danger. It would be difficult to ingest harmful levels of thujone from industrial Absinthe as you would die of alcohol poisoning to begin with!
What are the dangers of Absinthe then? Well, there isn’t any. Absinthe can get you drunk swiftly because it’s so strong but being intoxicated is incredibly different to hallucinating! When Absinthe is taken moderately, it poses no threat towards your overall health and it has now been made lawful generally in most countries. Appreciate bottled Absinthe or try making your own using essences from AbsintheKit.com – it’s fun to do and also very reasonably priced.