Absinthe was banned in many countries in the early years of the 20th century. By about 1915 a lot of countries have banned the production, distribution, and consumption of the drink. A lot of people believed that absinthe was really dangerous but there were some people who thought otherwise. Let’s take a look at both sides of the argument.
The Dangers
The belief that absinthe was dangerous was mostly because of what the thujone content would do to you. Take a look at Vincent Van Gogh who was a heavy absinthe drinker. It is still thought to this date that his heavy use of absinthe is what caused his seizures and for him to cut off his ear. Thujone has been proven to have some negative effects and it could be dangerous if over consumed.
The Other Side of the Argument
If you want to argue that absinthe will not do any damage to you, you can stand a good case. It is thought that thujone is the problem. However, it has been found that thujone is what gives you the clear-headed feeling because of how it reacts in your brain. The process of which heightens your mind and not causes damage. While drinking large amounts of absinthe all the time could have problems, the same goes for any alcoholic beverage. In moderate consumption, absinthe is safe. The absinth being dangerous could have been due to contamination of the liquid while being made in the facilities because back then the cleanliness of the buildings and machinery are nothing like today’s warehouses.
The absinthe ban may not have been fair and a lot of people are realizing it now. It’s probably one of the biggest myths ever created that relates to drinking that the drink is actually dangerous. The ban of absinthe was unnecessary and not really fair. |
