Now not banned in the U.S.

[justaguyinokc]

Interesting, I was unaware that "The Green Fairy" was now legal for sale in the U.S. (as of March, 2007). I'll have to pick up a bottle just to try it.


Absinthe


No affiliation, blah, blah, blah.

[SupremeBein]

When did it become legal here?
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[justaguyinokc]

But, it was somewhat vague. Other reports I've heard are that someone is challenging the ban in court (and won that initial challenge).

[Walte]

[chromeowner]

Prague a while back, and it was wretched. Bad booze is awful no matter what extra ingredients are in it, and the stuff for sale then was just plain swill. A bunch of guys tried it and then we threw the bottle away. Later on I read that one potential side effect of absinthe is that you can $hit yourself. Maybe that's one reason you don't see a lot of absinthe bars anymore....

[lezonebay]

The European Union permits a maximum thujone level of 10 mg/kg in alcoholic beverages with more than 25% ABV, and 35 mg/kg in alcohol labeled as bitters.[58] Member countries regulate absinthe production within this framework. Sale of absinthe is permitted in all EU countries unless they further regulate it.


According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection literature, "The importation of Absinthe and any other liquors or liqueurs that contain Artemisia absinthium is prohibited."[60] On the other hand, FDA regulations allow Artemisia species in foods or beverages, but those that contain Artemisia species, white cedar, oak moss, tansy or Yarrow, must be thujone free.[61] Other herbs that contain thujone have no restrictions. For example, sage and sage oil (which can be almost 50% thujone[50]) are on the FDA's list of substances generally recognized as safe.[62]

The prevailing consensus of interpretation of United States law and regulations among American absinthe connoisseurs is that it is probably legal to purchase such a product for personal use in the U.S. It is prohibited to sell items meant for human consumption which contain thujone derived from Artemisia species. (This derives from a Food and Drug Administration regulation, as opposed to a DEA regulation.) Customs regulations specifically forbid the importation of 'absinthe'. Absinthe can be and occasionally is seized by United States Customs if it appears to be for human consumption and can be seized inside the U.S. with a warrant.[63][64]

A faux-absinthe liquor called Absente, made with southern wormwood (Artemisia abrotanum) instead of grande wormwood (Artemisia absinthium), is sold legally in the United States and does not contain Grande Wormwood. This was the first US approval referring to "absinthe" on the front label; the front label says "Absinthe Refined" but the US Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) classified the product as Liqueur.

In 2007 the first legally available absinthe has been approved for sale in the United States. These brands must pass TTB testing, which is performed by the Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry method[65] and TTB considers a product to be thujone-free if the FDA's test measures less than 10ppm (equal to 10mg/kg) thujone.[66]

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1997 BMW 840CiA
1990 BMW Z1
2002 Astro Van AWD
1999 Astro Van 2WD
2002 Lexus GS300
2007 Mazda CX9 AWD
1998 Yamaha Blaster+Breeze

[Walte]

It seems we don't have a Thujone limit here in British Columbia. 8^)
Though I have to admit ,the stuff I drank back in the mid 80's was more hype then substance . The fun was in the preparation. Now the 4gram gagger of the Afgan Temple ball hashish we finished the night with . well...thats another story. 8^)

The makers of Absinthe really play up its properties.
and even though absinthe contains thujone, you would die of achohol poisoning long before the thujone caused any major life threatening effects.
Now if you need to see and speak to God - I have been climatizing a hybridism of a tropical plant over the past 5-6 years that would do a much better job then the Absinthe. Understanding I have only tried this a few times myself, as my sole interest in this plant is much more mundane. 8^)
Walt

[TX Greg]

Excellent Walt!!

[justaguyinokc]

It’s been legal for individuals to bring absinthe into the U.S. for some time now, but only this year are authentic varieties of the spirit made with 19th-century distilling methods legal to produce in America and sell in stores. The complete end of prohibition – which, as the Times reports, has already taken place in the E.U. – is thanks in part to studies concluding that the chemical thujone, found in wormwood and often blamed for absinthe’s rumored hallucinatory effects, was barely present in historical absinthe. It’s now believed that the delirious effects reported by some absinthe drinkers may have been due to the toxic artificial coloring like copper sulfate used in cheaper brands. (Presumably imported from China.)

My brother in Vegas just purchased a bottle of Oliva Absinth Suisse at a local liquor store(Swiss Absinth is considered best, closely followed by French brands). So, the finest Absinth is now being sold in America (whatever the legal ramifications) in quantity.

[justaguyinokc]

On Absinth in Slavic countries being total CR*P, fake, and actually dangerous due to the additives used to give it color, etc.

[ladislav]

the US of A (the manufacturers don't even want to release that info) I feel *much* better already.

Incidentally, the EU has regulations, just like the US. I would not believe everything I hear on such dependable media as US TV.

[justaguyinokc]

When I was in Europe back in '03, the same thing was said:

Don't drink Absinth in/from Slavic countries.


I ended up not trying it at all due to the warning.....


Check out Wikipedia (Absinthe), under the subheading: Bohemian style Absinth

[lezonebay]

should try. There are much better ones out there :-)

the ones are made from fruit and known substances. When I don't know what it is made out of I try and avoid it.

in ukraine the safest drink was the champaigne as everything else had no labels of contents. so I drank champagne for a week :-)

uzo in greece was great but a home made uzo made me so sick I used 2 rolls of toilet paper. lesson learned - buy alcohol in large department stores not from a local guy at the flea market !
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1997 BMW 840CiA
1990 BMW Z1
2002 Astro Van AWD
1999 Astro Van 2WD
2002 Lexus GS300
2007 Mazda CX9 AWD
1998 Yamaha Blaster+Breeze