Absinthe is now perfectly legal in many countries around the world but why were Absinthe and Absithe kits banned at all?
What Made French Government ban Absinthe?
France is wrongly known as the home of Absinthe but Absinthe was actually created by Dr Pierre Ordinaire in Switzerland at the end of the 18th century. It became popular in both France and Switzerland in 19th and 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 with wormwood, aniseed, fennel and sometimes other herbs such as lemon balm, hyssop and mint.
Absinthe is associated with many great writers and artists who claimed that it gave them inspiration. True and Ardent Devotees of Absinthe included famous personalities like 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. For France’s growing alcoholism problem Absinthe’s popularity became blamed and Doctors and prohibitionists claimed that Absinthe was as bad as cannabis, that it was psychoactive and caused convulsions, hallucinations, insanity, brain damage and death. 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. Many Countries banned Absinthe in 1915 including France.
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 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 is shows toxicity however does affect the GABA receptors of the brain but only when consumed in LARGE quantities. 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 that it actually only contained up to 6mg – a very small amount and not enough to give 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 controlled. Alcoholic beverages containing an ABV over 25% to contain up to 10mg per kg of thujone and for beverages labeled “bitters” to contain up to 35mg per kg only will be prescribed by EU law.
US government permits10 parts per million of thujone in beverages, these beverages are considered to be “thujone free” as thujone content under this limit does not show on US testing equipment.
So, if Absinthe is perfectly safe why did doctors say it was dangerous? The Exact Reasons :-
– Mass hysteria – Absinthe was linked to drugs like – cocaine and heroin.
– Wine producers afraid of the the fall in popularity of wine.
– Unreliable medical research.
– Absinthe’s link to the courtesans and Bohemian culture of Montmartre.
– Prohibitionists looking for lame and unauthenticated excuses to ban alcoholic beverages.
After all Why Did Government ban Absinthe? Because of a combination of political lobbying, lies, myths and misunderstandings.
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