⚠️This fact has been debunked
The core claim contains multiple errors: wormwood/thujone is not truly hallucinogenic (modern science has debunked this myth), and absinthe has been legal in the US since 2007 (not banned). This is a perfect case where the myth-busting IS the interesting story - the 'Green Fairy' legend is culturally fascinating.
Absinthe is a high-alcohol spirit (up to 89.9% ABV) flavored with wormwood, which contains thujone—a compound once believed to be hallucinogenic. This myth led to absinthe being banned in the US from 1912 to 2007, but modern science has proven thujone doesn't cause hallucinations at the levels found in absinthe.
The Absinthe Myth: Wormwood Never Made Anyone Hallucinate
For over a century, absinthe carried a dangerous reputation. The emerald-green spirit was blamed for hallucinations, madness, and moral decay. Artists like Van Gogh and Toulouse-Lautrec drank it religiously, and their troubled lives only fueled the mystique. By 1912, the United States had banned it entirely, convinced that wormwood—one of absinthe's key botanicals—contained a hallucinogenic compound called thujone.
There was just one problem: it was never true.
The Thujone Scare
Wormwood (Artemisia absinthium) does contain thujone, a chemical compound found in the plant's essential oils. In the early 1900s, scientists suspected thujone might cause psychoactive effects similar to THC. Absinthe became the scapegoat for alcoholism and social problems across Europe and America, leading to widespread bans.
But modern studies have completely debunked the hallucinogen theory. Research published in scientific journals confirms that thujone concentrations in both pre-ban and modern absinthe are far too low to cause any psychoactive effects beyond regular alcohol intoxication. Even vintage absinthe from before the bans contained negligible amounts.
So Why the Wild Stories?
If thujone wasn't making people see green fairies, what was? The answer is simpler and less romantic:
- Extremely high alcohol content – Absinthe typically ranges from 45-74% ABV, with some bottles reaching 89.9%. That's nearly twice as strong as most liquors.
- Additives and adulterants – Cheap, poorly made absinthe in the 1800s was sometimes contaminated with toxic chemicals like copper salts (for color) or methanol.
- Rampant alcoholism – Absinthe was wildly popular and cheap in 19th-century France. People weren't hallucinating from thujone—they were just dangerously drunk.
The 2007 Comeback
After nearly a century of prohibition, absinthe returned to American shelves in 2007. The reversal came after scientists re-examined the evidence and found no basis for the ban. Today, absinthe is legal in the US as long as it contains less than 10 parts per million of thujone—a threshold the TTB considers "thujone-free," though it's the same amount found in pre-ban bottles.
Modern craft distilleries now produce authentic absinthe using traditional recipes. The ritual remains theatrical: ice-cold water dripped over a sugar cube balanced on a slotted spoon, turning the spirit milky in a transformation called the "louche." But the only thing you'll experience is a strong, anise-flavored drink with a serious kick.
The Legend Lives On
Even though science killed the hallucinogen myth, absinthe's mystique endures. The "Green Fairy" remains a symbol of bohemian rebellion and artistic inspiration. Which makes sense—the truth is that absinthe's reputation was built on moral panic, bad science, and the very human tendency to blame a substance for society's problems.
Wormwood never made anyone hallucinate. But a good story? That's intoxicating enough.