A large number of contradictory Absinthe information is available online and in books which can confuse a person.
Misleading Absinthe Information
One book “Absinthe The Cocaine of the 19th Century: A History of the Hallucinogenic Drug and its Effect on Artists and Writersin Europe and the United States” by Doris Lanier, compares Absinthe to drugs such as cocaine because it was said to be addictive, to give a sense of euphoria, have psychedelic effects and weaken the brain and other faculties.
People became familiar with Absinthe at the end of the 19th century and in the beginning of 20th century. People used illegal drugs of today at that time for medicine, on prescription for coughs etc. One can use it in drinks. Some of the popular drinks in bars were Absinthe, Vin Maraiani and Coca Cola. These drugs and drinks were claimed to be harmless and were widely consumed all over Europe.
Absinthe was well known with Bohemian artists and writers to help their creativity and with the prostitute of the Moulin Rouge and Montmartre.
Thujone content in wormwood was believed to be psychoactive and similar to THC in the drug cannabis. The essential oils contain THC which affects the central nervous system and thujone which affects the GABA receptors in the brain. When wormwood is smoked as a joint or consumed in large quantities, it has been known to cause effects similar to cannabis intoxication – to cause hallucinations and fantasies, to make the person feel euphoric, to relieve pain and to act as an aphrodisiac.
Absinthe was banned along with some drugs in the early 1900s and was made illegal to buy and sell in many countries around the world. Banning it was just a part of the hysteria of the time. People lumped Absinthe together with drugs and even as magic mushrooms, LSD, weed, cannabis and ecstasy.
Absinthe Information – What we now know
We know that medical studies on Absintheand wormwood in the past were not accurate and were “colored” by the prohibition movement of the time and the worry that Absinthe was a drug. Absinthe contains very small amounts of thujone after it is distilled which is insufficient to cause any harmful side effects or hallucinations. Even tests on vintage pre ban Absinthe has shown that it hardly contained any thujone at all. Before suffering from thujone a person would die of alcohol poisoning.
Absinthe can now be enjoyed in bars and in homes across the world as it is authorized in most of the countries.
A person can easily be drunk on Absinthe because of it’s high proof. It has twice the alcohol content of spirits so one should be careful while drinking it. Other spirits or fermented beverages cannot give the same drunkenness feel as given by Absinthe. It is said to be a “lucid” or “clear headed” type of drunkenness. One can understand this by the blend of herbs and the alcohol. A number of people elevate these qualities by preparing cocktails containing Absinthe and the caffeine loaded drink Red Bull!
The misleading Absinthe information can disappoint a person. This herbal alcoholic drink can be prepared with enjoyment. One can get real, top-quality Absinthe essences from AbsintheKit.com to prepare his own wormwood Absinthe at home.AbsintheKit.com is a fun and economical way to enjoy Absinthe.