Why does wormwood make you hallucinate

So what was up with the ban in the first place? Remember that absinthe was banned in most countries in the early 20th century, when temperance movements were strong and had powerful political backing. It took a lot of lobbying by folks like Breaux and changing attitudes toward drinking to finally overturn the ban just 10 years ago.

See author's posts. Does Absinthe Make You Hallucinate? Absinthe Drinking Science. So while thujone is a toxin, the real danger in absinthe comes from the alcohol. Dan Robitzski graduated from Lafayette College with a B. Passionate about accessible information, Dan hopes to use science journalism as a way to bridge the communication gap among researchers, medical professionals, and the public.

In his spare time, you can find him competing and coaching at fencing tournaments, pretending to understand pop culture references, and looking at cute rodents on the internet. Your email address will not be published. Previous Search. What gives? Related Posts.

Gin in your genes? Alcoholism after gastric bypass: Is it in your mind or gut? If you're looking for a hallucinogenic trip, wormwood's not a very good place to start. You Might Also Like. Tags: absinthe liquor. Get the Latest! We Recommend. By continuing to browse the site you are agreeing to our use of cookies. I Understand. Absinthe does have a very high alcohol content — anywhere between 55 and 75 percent alcohol by volume, which equates to about to proof.

It makes whiskey's standard 40 percent 80 proof seem like child's play, which is why absinthe is supposed to be diluted. Absinthe is not a hallucinogen; rather its alcohol content and herbal flavor set it apart from other liquors. Traditional absinthe is made of anise, fennel and wormwood a plant , and various recipes add other herbs and flowers to the mix. The anise, fennel and wormwood are soaked in alcohol, and the mixture is then distilled. The distillation process causes the herbal oils and the alcohol to evaporate, separating from the water and bitter essences released by the herbs.

The fennel, anise and wormwood oils then recondense with the alcohol in a cooling area, and the distiller dilutes the resulting liquid down to whatever proof the absinthe is supposed to be based on brand variations or regional laws. At this point, the absinthe is clear; many manufacturers add herbs to the mixture after distillation to get the classic green color from their chlorophyll. The chemical that's taken all the blame for absinthe's hallucinogenic reputation is called thujone, which is a component of wormwood.

In very high doses, thujone can be toxic. It occurs naturally in many foods, but never in doses high enough to hurt you.

And there's not enough thujone in absinthe to hurt you, either. By the end of the distillation process, there is very little thujone left in the product. In the U.