Knowing How Safe is Absinthe
Absinthe is known for being
famously restricted in early 1900s due to worries over its safety. Even today, many people associate it with drugs like cannabis and discuss it causing you to “trip” or hallucinate and didn’t Van Gogh commit suicide because of Absinthe? Are these claims and stories merely urban legend or could they be true – how safe is Absinthe?
Absinthe is a strong liquor made with herbs like wormwood, aniseed and fennel. It’s roughly two times as strong as other spirits for instance whisky and vodka. It has an anise taste and is also commonly served diluted with iced water which makes the Absinthe louche when it is put into the alcohol.
How Safe is Absinthe
Absinthe, or the Green Fairy, was a well-liked drink during the Great Binge of 1870 – 1914 in France, a period when cocaine was used in beverages and cough drops and heroin was applied as a morphine alternative and in cough medicine for kids. Absinthe was incorrectly compared to cannabis since it was considered that thujone, a substance in wormwood, looked like THC in cannabis. Thujone was claimed to generally be psychoactive and to result in psychedelic effects.
The medical profession became concerned with the recognition of Absinthe and what they called “Absinthism”, an illness due to continuous drinking of Absinthe. They said that extended use of Absinthe brought on:-
– Frothing from the mouth and convulsions
– Hypersensitivity to pain
– Delirium
– Insanity
– Decrease in libido
– Paralysis
– Brain damage
– Death
The French Academy of Medicine pushed for Absinthe to be suspended, as did prohibitionists and wine producers who have been unhappy with Absinthe’s popularity. In 1905 a man in Switzerland killed his family and this crime became generally known as “The Absinthe Murder” because he had ingested two glasses of Absinthe earlier that day. The man had in reality consumed many alcohol based drinks AFTER the Absinthe but this fact was disregarded and the crime was utilized by prohibitionists to fuel their campaign.
Absinthe was restricted in 1912 in the United States also in 1915 in France.
Modern tests on Absinthe made from original recipes and gas chromatography tests on vintage bottles of Absinthe have shown that Absinthe consists of very little thujone therefore couldn’t possibly result in the effects alleged by doctors in the early 1900s. People would die of alcohol poisoning prior to ingesting a dangerous volume of thujone! It had become concluded that Absinthe is perfectly safe and sound when consumed in moderation, after all it’s very high proof.
Absinthe was made lawful in several countries during the late 1980s and 90s but Americans were forced to hold back until 2007 for quite a few brands to be made legitimate in the US or risk getting Absinthe shipped over via some other countries.
So, how safe is Absinthe today? It is just as safe just like any other strong liquor and won’t get you to hallucinate. Buy quality Absinthe which satisfies EU or US recommendations or make your own using proper essences. AbsintheKit.com make essences for the Absinthe sector as well as the public. They are easy, safe and can be transported worldwide. You should be careful that you don’t drink an excessive amount all at once!