Message 35833 of 37663 in General Discussion

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I've read this double-post twice now, but still can't quite see if you are for 
or against the propositions made.

I've had several varieties of absinthe (US-regulation free) in various ways. I 
don't claim to be an absinthe geek, just a small-time fan. In perspective.

1. You want to 'hallucinate' from absinthe. I guess on the belief that this is 
better than just enjoying it and getting nicely tiddled in a nice new way.

2. It does sorta seem that the 'thujone' ingredient is highly over-rated as a 
reason for the drinks popularity. But marketing and rumours are always more 
interesting that facts.

3. Nutters of all ilk (contemporaneously) happened to be imbibing absinthe in 
quantity. I'm sure many non-geniuses also got pissed on the stuff also.

4. They may or may not have had syphillis. This may or may not have been a 
factor in their delusions.

5. It was 'banned' allegedly due to the mind-altering properties you are 
seeking out. Allegedly due to the 'thujone content'. I think it's more about 
the powers-that-be attempting to stem delinquency among the underclasses. Or, 
equally likely in an attempt to protect their health.
However the absinthe 'ban' is highly over-rated and fictionalized, as by the 
time it came into effect, the whole craze was pretty much over, and demand was 
a non-issue. It was shutting the cart after the horse. Look into the 
timeframes.

6. It would appear that although thujone was/is an ingredient ... the well 
made absinthe was produced with only trace amounts of that ingredient. 
That's not to say that some of the imperfectly distilled bathtub concoctions 
didn't drive a few folk nuts/blind/impotent.


Q. Do you think you can tell the difference between a fantastic new kind of 
'drunk' (highly recommended) and the elusive 'hallucination' you seek (WTF)?
- Me, I find 'drunk' to be an altered state of consciousness anyway. And 
absinthe is very good at that. With or without a homeopathic (trace parts per 
million) quantity of herbal extract.
And yes, the Absinthe Drunk is much more conducive to higher 
consciousness-type musings... but random 'hallucinations' didn't need to be 
part of the experience.
1/4 of a bottle into an 80% bottle (160 proof to you US-ians) you don't really 
know the difference anymore.

Q. Are you asking on this message board for a source to a substance that is 
currently banned in your current area of jurisdiction? Hm.
- Try your downtown street corner if you want something that your govt and 
scientists have decided is detrimental to your state of well-being.

Q. What is the answer you are looking for?
- non-poisonous 'absinthe' is available to you. 
- Have you tried it at all? Why not?
- Do you think you are missing something in your reason for wanting it? 
- Why do you want an acknowledged bad/detrimental substance?
- Why not try glue-sniffing?!
- Have you considered that olden-time 'drugs' were much less refined than the 
stuff currently available from the lab? Plus at least (if not more) dangerous 
to your metabolism. You <em>won't</em> get as much of a kick from 100-year-old 
apertif recipes as you will from a can of red bull+tequila. (by volume)

So basically ...
bust the myth.
Try what you can get.
Enjoy it.

Don't lament the fact that the poisonous elements, The mercury, and the lead, 
and the bit that makes you go blind, and the bit that makes you piss your 
pants, have been removed from the equation.

There are still good bits left.
Start with that, then become a critic once you know what you are comparing 
it to. Anything before that is total BS.

.dan.