The temperance movement caused misconceptions about absinthe, leading to its illegal or regulated status in many countries. Absinthe is a strong spirit made from herbs, including wormwood, but studies suggest it’s not dangerous in small amounts. The hallucinations and health risks associated with absinthe may have been caused by poorly distilled alcohol or high alcohol concentration. The ban on absinthe created mystique, but some people were disappointed upon trying it.
The temperance movement of the early 20th century is largely responsible for the many misconceptions about absinthe and the fact that the spirit is illegal or strictly regulated in many countries. Indeed, studies suggest that absinthe has no inherent dangers, especially when made in a competent distillery, and the industry is eager to dispel the popular notion that it’s dangerous for the sake of outselling this infamous spirit. The legal status of absinthe varies around the world, with some nations banning it altogether, while others allow the sale of particular types and some make no attempt to regulate sales at all, beyond the regulations that apply to other spirits .
Absinthe is an extremely strong spirit that is made by macerating an assortment of herbs in alcohol. Most famously, it includes absinthe, and has a distinctive greenish color and strong licorice-like flavor. In the late 1800s, people began to believe that the spirit caused hallucinations and insanity, and the temperance movement jumped on this, spreading the idea that the spirit was dangerously addictive and psychoactive. It has been suggested that consumption could lead to permanent insanity and should be banned, and by the early 20th century, many nations had done so.
People who believed that absinthe was dangerous pointed to a chemical compound known as thujone that is present in wormwood forest. Thujone is indeed quite dangerous, but only in extremely large quantities. Absinthe extract, for example, might have an absinthe level that is high enough to cause serious health problems, but traditionally produced absinthe contains only trace amounts of thujone that do not appear to pose any health risks. In some countries, the thujone content of spirit is tightly regulated, in the hope of keeping concentrations very low.
The hallucinations, seizures, and other unpleasant symptoms that people have linked to absinthe consumption may also have been a result of drinking poorly distilled alcohol or consuming spirits with a very high alcohol concentration. Absinthe is naturally extremely strong, and consuming something like pure alcohol can cause all the symptoms once said to be related to it, including death. In fact, the spirit doesn’t seem psychoactive at all, especially when drunk the traditional way, diluted with water and sugar.
After the ban, absinthe became surrounded by mystique and many people raised this spirit to a high level. As nations slowly eased their bans, the audience results were often explosive, with people flocking to buy the spirit. Some people have found themselves disappointed, as accumulation sets them up for disappointment.
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