True Motives Behind Bann Of Absinthe

Absinthe is now perfectly legal in many countries around the world but why were Absinthe and Absithe kits banned at all?

Why Absinthe was banned ?

Absinthe was actually created by Dr Pierre Ordinaire in Switzerland at the end of the 18th century. It was very popular in the 19th century and early 20th century, a time known as La Belle Epoque a golden age before the start of the First World War. It is a herbal alcoholic beverage flavored primarily with wormwood.

Many great writers and artists claimed that Absinthe gave them inspiration. People who were dedicated to Absinthe included Van Gogh, Oscar Wilde, and Pablo Picasso.

Absinthe or the Green Fairy (La fee verte) became even more popular than fermented types of beverages such as beer and cider and upset wine producers by replacing wine as the most popular alcoholic drink in France. Doctors and prohibitionists claimed that Absinthe was as bad as cannabis, that it was psychoactive and caused convulsions, hallucinations, insanity, brain damage and death and this blamed Absinthe’s popularity for France’s growing alcoholism problem. It was also Blamed to be a major cause for promoting loose morals and for damaging French society.

After the heinous murder of a whole family by a known Absinthe drinker, prohibitionists convinced the government that Absinthe was a danger. Absinthe was banned in France in 1915 and in many other countries in the early 1900s.

Absinthe substitutes and Absinthe styles of drinks such as Pernod Pastis and Ricards were developed to market to those missing the taste of Absinthe.

Thujone

Thujone is a monoterpene found in wormwood, a key ingredient in Absinthe, and it was this chemical that was blamed for the dangerous effects of Absinthe. Many Considered it to be similar to THC of cannabis.

Thujone, in high concentrations , is toxic and does affect the brain cells. It was perceived that pre ban Absinthe had up to 350mg of thujone per liter, but this has now been proved false. Tests on vintage bottles of Absinthe have shown maximum of 6mg thuone that can not produce any psychedelic or harmful effects.

Such tests and other research, articles and studies have shown that Absinthe is just as safe as any other drink with a high alcohol content.

In the EU and in the United States Thujone content is well regulated. Alcoholic beverages with an ABV (alcohol by volume) over 25% to contain up to 10mg per kg of thujone will be allowed by EU law and for beverages labeled “bitters” to contain up to 35mg per kg.

US law will allow up to 10 parts per million of thujone in beverages.

Hence, if Absinthe is that safe thne why medical professionals marked it as dangerous and why was Absinthe banned? Principal Reasons :-

– Mass hysteria – Absinthe was marked as dangerous as – cocaine and heroin.
– Wine producers apprehensive about their future in the market place.
– Unreliable testing and medical research.
Absinthe’s link to the Bohemian and courtesans culture of Montmartre.
– Prohibitionists looking for lame and unauthenticated excuses to ban alcoholic beverages.

Why was Absinthe banned? Because of a combination of politics, lies, myths and misunderstandings.