Absinthe is known for being the hallucinogenic drink which was banned in the early 1900s after it sent people insane and drove people to murder and suicide. Seeing that Absinthe has once again been legalized, many people are clearly asking “What are the dangers of Absinthe?”
Absinthe is actually a strong liquor that is distilled at high proof but typically offered diluted with iced water or maybe in cocktails. It has an anise taste and is flavored with organic herbs which includes common wormwood (Artemisia Absinthium), fennel as well as aniseed.
Absinthe features a very vibrant history. It was initially developed as an elixir or medicinal tonic in Switzerland in the late eighteenth century but rapidly www.absinthepostershop.com came into common use at that time of history referred to as La Belle Epoque in the nineteenth century. The Green Fairy, as Absinthe was known, was especially popular in France and bars even had special Absinthe hours. Well-known drinkers of Absinthe such as Van Gogh, Degas, Pablo Picasso, Oscar Wilde and Ernest Hemingway all credit Absinthe with offering them their inspiration 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 used in cough drops and beverages and where heroin was used to make children’s cough medicine. Absinthe started to be associated with these drugs, in particular with cannabis. It had been claimed that the thujones present in wormwood in Absinthe looked like THC in cannabis and that thujones were psychoactive and caused psychedelic effects. A lot of people were convinced that the Green Fairy made you see green fairies, that Absinthe seemed to be an hallucinogen.
The medical profession and prohibition activity made many claims in regards to the dangers of Absinthe and Absinthism, continuous drinking of Absinthe. They alleged that Absinthe comprised considerable amounts of thujone which caused:-
– Hallucinations and delirium
– Convulsions
– Weakening of the intellect
– Insanity
– Addiction
– Brain damage
– Violence
– Death
It had been stated that Absinthe drove Van Gogh to suicide as well as made a man murder his family.
So, are these statements true or are they urban myths?
These claims happen to be proved fake by recent research studies. Let us check the important points:-
– The man who murdered his family had consumed two glasses of Absinthe earlier during the day and then copious amounts of other spirits and liquors. He was obviously a recognized alcoholic and also a violent man.
– Van Gogh was a troubled person who had suffered bouts of despression symptoms 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 leading to spasms and convulsions but only when ingested in large quantities.
– Absinthe only consists of very small amounts of thujone, insufficient to present any danger. It might be difficult to ingest harmful amounts of thujone from industrial Absinthe because 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 quickly since it is so strong but being drunk is extremely different to hallucinating! When Absinthe is taken in moderation, it poses no threat towards your health and wellbeing and has now been made lawful in most countries. Enjoy bottled Absinthe or try making your personal using essences from AbsintheKit.com – it’s fun to accomplish and also very reasonable.