There is so much contradictory Absinthe information available online as well as in books, it’s difficult to understand what to trust.
Deceptive Absinthe Information
One book “Absinthe The Cocaine of the ineteenth century: A History of the Hallucinogenic Drug and its Effect on Artists and Writers in Europe and the United States” by Doris Lanier, even compares Absinthe to drugs such as cocaine since it was considered to be addictive absinthekit, to present feelings of euphoria, have psychedelic effects and weaken the mind and other faculties.
Absinthe became widely used at the end of the 19th century and early 20th century, a time referred to as “The Great Binge”. This has been a moment throughout history when many of today’s illegal drugs like crack cocaine, morphine and heroin were created and made use of by normal everyday people for medicine, on prescription for coughs etc. and in drinks. Popular drinks in bars were Absinthe, Vin Maraiani (cocaine and wine) and Coca Cola (then made from cocaine, wine and kola nuts). These drugs and drinks were all considered to be harmless and were widely used throughout Europe.
Absinthe was connected with these drugs for its popularity with Bohemian artists and writers, who liked to overindulge to aid their creativity, and also the loose morals of the courtesans of the Moulin Rouge and Montmartre.
Thujone, the chemical in wormwood, was furthermore claimed being psychoactive and comparable to THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) in the drug cannabis (marijuana). Both THC and Thujone are terpenoids and therefore are both from essential oils but THC affects the central nervous system whereas thujone has an effect on the GABA receptors within the brain. When wormwood is smoked as a joint or taken in mass, it’s been recognized to cause effects just like cannabis intoxication – to cause hallucinations and fantasies, in making anyone feel euphoric, to alleviate pain and to behave as an aphrodisiac.
Absinthe was banned together with some drugs in early 1900s and was made illegal to purchase and sell in many countries all over the world. We now know that its ban was just a part of the hysteria of the time. People lumped Absinthe, the Green Fairy, along with drugs like heroin (the White Fairy), cannabis and cocaine as well as presently there are lots of 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 know that medical studies on Absinthe and wormwood in earlier times were not accurate and were “colored” by way of the prohibition movement of that time as well as the worry that Absinthe was a drug. Recent studies have demostrated that Absinthe, once it is actually distilled, only contains really small amounts of thujone – not enough to cause any harmful side effects or hallucinations, which is merely a myth. Even tests on vintage pre ban Absinthe shows that it hardly included any thujone in any way. A person would die of alcohol poisoning some time before suffering any side effects from thujone.
Final results 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 around the globe.
Even though it might not cause you to trip or get high, it is easy to get drunk on Absinthe because of its high proof. It offers twice the alcohol content of spirits like vodka or whisky so care must be taken when drinking it. If you get drunk on Absinthe you’ll probably experience a very different intoxication than you would experience from other spirits or fermented beverages. Many describe it as a “lucid” or “clear headed” sort of drunkenness. This may be explained by the mixture of herbs and the alcohol – a blend of sedatives and stimulants. Some people enhance these qualities by making cocktails containing Absinthe and the caffeine loaded drink Red Bull!
So, you’ll be disappointed if you believe some of the misleading Absinthe information and acquire Absinthe to provide you with vivid hallucinations. However, it’s a delicious herbal liquor which happens to be fun to make and contains an excellent anise flavor. You can even enjoy making your very own wormwood Absinthe at home by utilizing real, top-quality Absinthe essences from AbsintheKit.com – a great and economical approach to enjoy Absinthe.