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Whit Johnson reporting A drink that's been blamed for hallucinations, madness, suicide and murder was recently legalized in the U.S. Now, absinthe -- one of the most banned substances throughout the world -- is gaining popularity in Utah.
The ritual that surrounds absinthe and its vivid green color has captivated and almost hypnotized some of the world's most creative minds. To put things in perspective, absinthe was banned in the United States in 1912, before marijuana, before cocaine. Now, with the ban lifted, the question is, what harm can this drink really do?
From the silver screen to the earliest of silent films, the drink has long been purported to have psychoactive effects. Its popularity was at its peak in France in the late 19th century and became an obsession among famous artists and writers. One of many rumors at the time was that absinthe drove Vincent van Gogh to cut off his own ear.
But in 2007, after nearly a century, the United States followed a worldwide trend, lifting its ban on absinthe.
Local musician and artist Joe Ashton said, "There's never been one absinthe that's ever gotten me to the point of seeing something that's not there, ever."
Ashton is pushing for more brands to be sold in Utah. "I think in most aspects, the herbal qualities, the floral notes of this make it more of a fine wine than anything else," he said.
One herb in particular, grand wormwood, contains a chemical called thujone, which for years was said to rot your brain.
Dr. Martin Caravati, the medical director of the Utah Poison Control Center, said, "I think that's probably a lot of myth involved there."
Doctors now say that low levels of thujone, found in absinthe, likely have little effect on the body. That belief has led to the drink's legalization.
"You could not drink enough to get enough thujone to cause a seizure, because you would be so drunk you wouldn't be able to drink any more," Dr. Caravati said.
But the fear among local advocates for alcohol policy is that people who drink absinthe may search for an experience beyond intoxication.
Dr. George Van Komen, chair of the Alcohol Policy Coalition, said, "The preparation of absinthe and the whole ritual that's associated with it is where I have my greatest concern."
Currently, Absente is the only brand you can buy in Utah. It contains a refined species of wormwood, one without thujone.
Joe Ashton said, "It's not necessarily an absinthe by any means, but it's definitely a close ringer."
According to the state, as demand for the drink increases more brands -- what some consider real brands -- will come to Utah.
Brett Clifford, wine coordinator for the Utah Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control, said, "What's interesting is it seems to be picking up steam as time goes by, so that indicates that it's not necessarily a flash in the pan."
All this perhaps adds to the rebirth of what has been called the world's most feared spirit.
In the 19th century, some inferior brands of absinthe contained chemicals that actually were damaging to the brain. Some say the effects of those chemicals combined with alcoholism likely caused much of the hysteria.
Absinthe usually ranges from 55 to 72 percent alcohol. That's significantly stronger than the average drink.
