Is Absinthe All It's Cracked Up to Be?

Absinthe has long held a sort of quasi-mythical status among tinctures. Its distinctive green color and rumors about it being somehow much more psychoactive than regular spirits such as vodka and gin have been responsible for its notoriety. Furthermore, the fact that it is illegal to import absinthe into the United States arouses the curiosity and makes one wonder: is absinthe truly all it's cracked up to be?

What exactly is absinthe? It is a strong liquor that is distilled and infused with a number of herbs, the most important of which is wormwood. Wormwood contains an intoxicant called thujone, and much of the supposed psychoactive effects of abstinthe is apparently due to the presence of this chemical. Absinthe is a very bitter drink and is traditionally served in a glass as a shot. A special perforated spoon known as an "absinthe spoon" is suspended over the glass with a dusting of sugar as cold water is poured over the spoon. The sugar is infused with the water which is then infused with the alcoholic absinthe in the glass. Traditionally, absinthe gained popularity among European artists of the 19^th century. Some famous absinthe users include Vincent Van Goh, Baudelaire, and Verlaine.

So why is absinthe so different compared to other alcohols to merit banning the drink entirely from several countries? Well, for starters, absinthe is a very strong alcoholic beverage, owing to its high concentration of ethanol. Since absinthe is generally 60 to 85% ethanol, it can have profoundly intoxicating effects similar to those produced by a high-proof grain alcohol. The area of contention concerns the presence of thujone in absinthe. Thujone has been clinically identified as a GABA receptor antagonist, which means that it inhibits the uptake of GABA, a neurotransmitter important for muscle activation. In sufficient quantities, thujone can cause muscle spasms or involuntary firing of neurons associated with moving skeletal muscles. It was long-believed that thujone could bind to receptors that cannabinoids such as THC and therefore produce similar effects. This is now known to be false, and thujone has been classified as a chemical convulsant.

Well, if thujone can't cause hallucinations, then would absinthe at least produce spasms in those who drank it? For the majority of the time, this turns out to be false. There are not sufficient quantities of thujone in regular doses of absinthe that would cause muscle spasms or twitching in those who drink it. One would have to consume large amounts of absinthe in a short period of time in order to produce the kinds of effects that thujone can have in sufficient quantities. At this point however, it seems likely that the drinker would succumb to much more serious health issues such as alcohol poisoning before any kind of physical or psychoactive effects would be felt.

If science has determined that absinthe doesn't live up to the rumors touting its special nature, then why do people continue to be drawn to it? Well, one reason is that companies that distill and sell absinthe are not about to let go of the mystique that has been responsible for profitable sales for generations. If people want to believe that absinthe is some kind of exotic drug, then all the better for those who sell it. It's not exactly false advertising when you simply play upon folklore surrounding your product. Even though absinthe isn't a hallucinogenic beverage, it still has a fascinating history and continues to be that mysterious green alcohol from France.