The Absinthe Effect: Unpacking the History of the 'Green Fairy' and What Alcoholic Drink Was Banned?

October 23, 2025 •

4 min read

In the early 20th century, a moral panic fueled by sensationalized crime stories and biased research led to the widespread prohibition of a specific green spirit. This article reveals the fascinating and often misrepresented history to answer the question: What alcoholic drink was banned for nearly a century?.

Quick Summary

This article explores the truth behind absinthe, the infamous 'Green Fairy' that was banned for decades due to a moral panic. We debunk the myths about its supposed hallucinogenic effects, examine its place in a nutrition diet, and discuss the real health impacts of excessive alcohol consumption.

Key Points

Absinthe Was Banned: The 'Green Fairy' was the infamous alcoholic drink banned in the early 20th century due to a widespread moral panic and false rumors.
Thujone Myth Debunked: Modern science has proven that the thujone levels in properly distilled absinthe are too low to cause hallucinations, attributing past reports to potent alcohol levels and toxic adulterants.
Alcohol Offers Empty Calories: Like other spirits, absinthe provides no nutritional value and contributes only empty calories to your diet.
Inhibits Nutrient Absorption: Excessive consumption of any alcohol, including absinthe, can interfere with the body's ability to absorb essential vitamins and minerals, potentially leading to deficiencies.
Moderation is Key: The real health risks associated with absinthe were primarily due to its high alcohol content. Moderation is vital for managing the negative health impacts of any alcoholic beverage.
Legal Comeback: Bans on absinthe were largely lifted in the late 20th and early 21st centuries, though strict regulations now limit thujone content to ensure consumer safety.

The Banning of the Green Fairy

Absinthe, the legendary spirit nicknamed the "Green Fairy," first rose to immense popularity in 19th-century France, becoming a cultural phenomenon favored by artists, writers, and people from all social strata. It was during this Belle Époque period that the aperitif hour became known as "l'heure verte" (the green hour), a testament to the drink's widespread appeal. However, this popularity was short-lived and came to an abrupt halt due to a convergence of factors that painted the spirit as a societal menace.

The prohibitionist and temperance movements of the era, coupled with economic interests from the recovering French wine industry, heavily campaigned against absinthe. They exploited public fears, attributing violent crimes, mental illness, and moral decay to the drink, and invented a supposed condition called "absinthism" to distinguish absinthe abuse from regular alcoholism. The most infamous event was the 1905 Lanfray murders in Switzerland, where a farmer killed his family after a day of heavy drinking. Though he had consumed large quantities of other alcohols, absinthe was singled out and became the scapegoat. By 1915, the manufactured outrage successfully led to bans across Europe and the United States.

The Thujone Fallacy: Debunking the Myths

At the heart of the absinthe controversy was the chemical compound thujone, a natural component of wormwood, one of the spirit's key botanical ingredients. The myth claimed that thujone was a powerful hallucinogen responsible for the drink's supposed mind-altering effects, but modern scientific analysis has disproven this.

Low concentration: In traditionally distilled absinthe, the amount of thujone is extremely low—far below the level needed to cause any hallucinogenic effects. Reports of visions or altered states were likely due to the high alcohol content, adulterants found in cheaper, pre-ban imitations, or psychological expectation.
Overblown risks: The perceived dangers of "absinthism" were largely indistinguishable from the symptoms of severe, chronic alcoholism. Early 20th-century "research," such as a study that injected pure wormwood oil into animals, further exaggerated the dangers by using toxic, concentrated forms of the ingredient rather than the diluted finished product.

The Nutritional Reality of Alcohol and a Balanced Diet

Absinthe's story serves as a cautionary tale about misinformation, but it also highlights important truths about alcohol's role in a healthy diet. From a nutritional standpoint, alcohol, including absinthe, is a source of "empty calories". This means it provides a significant amount of energy (7 calories per gram) but offers no vitamins, minerals, or other essential nutrients.

Alcohol's Impact on Your Body

Excessive alcohol consumption can have a serious impact on your body's ability to absorb and utilize nutrients. This is particularly true for heavy drinkers who may be at risk for vitamin and mineral deficiencies. Alcohol can disrupt the lining of the stomach and intestines, affecting digestion and nutrient uptake. The liver, which prioritizes processing alcohol, can also be damaged over time by excessive intake.

Empty calories: The high caloric content of alcohol can contribute to weight gain and obesity, which in turn increases the risk of other serious health issues like heart disease and certain cancers.
Nutrient depletion: Chronic alcohol use can deplete the body's stores of vital nutrients such as thiamine (B1), folic acid, B12, and zinc, leading to potential health complications.
Organ damage: Long-term, heavy drinking can cause irreversible damage to major organs, including the liver (cirrhosis), pancreas (pancreatitis), and brain.

Modern Regulations and the Comeback

Absinthe's reputation began to be scientifically re-evaluated in the 1990s and 2000s, leading to the repeal of the bans in many countries. Today, its production is regulated to ensure safe thujone levels, typically limiting it to a maximum of 35 mg/kg for bitter spirits in the European Union and less than 10 ppm for U.S. markets.


Feature	Absinthe	Wine	Beer
Primary Nutritional Value	Empty calories, no significant nutrients	Some phytochemicals (e.g., resveratrol in red wine), but mainly empty calories	Empty calories; some B vitamins and minerals, but not a significant source
Average ABV	Very high (typically 45–74%)	Varies (e.g., 9–14% for table wine, up to 20% for fortified)	Lower (typically 4–8%)
Effect on Nutrients	Can inhibit absorption of B vitamins, folate, and zinc	Moderate intake may have some benefits due to phytochemicals, but excessive intake inhibits nutrient absorption	Excessive intake inhibits nutrient absorption and can cause depletion

Conclusion

Today, absinthe is a legally available spirit with its mystical history having more to do with social and economic politics than with any unique, mind-altering properties. Its story reminds us that excessive consumption of any alcohol carries significant health and nutritional risks, from weight gain to nutrient malabsorption and serious organ damage. For a balanced diet, moderation is key, and understanding the empty calories in all alcoholic drinks is crucial for making informed choices. For more information on the effects of alcohol on the body, consult reliable sources such as the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA).

Frequently Asked Questions

Absinthe was the most famously banned alcoholic beverage internationally, with prohibition enacted across many European countries and the United States in the early 20th century.

No, modern scientific consensus is that absinthe does not cause hallucinations. The myth was perpetuated by a moral panic; the supposed effects were likely due to the spirit's high alcohol content or toxic adulterants in inferior versions.

Thujone is a chemical compound found in wormwood, an ingredient in absinthe. It can be toxic in high doses, but the levels present in properly distilled absinthe are far below toxic levels and do not pose a risk.

Yes, absinthe is legal in most countries today, including the United States and the European Union. However, regulations exist to limit the amount of thujone in the final product.

From a nutritional standpoint, absinthe, like all spirits, offers only 'empty calories.' It contains no significant nutritional value and excessive consumption can negatively impact nutrient absorption.

Absinthe was deemed dangerous due to a combination of factors: sensationalized crimes wrongly attributed to it, biased research, its association with bohemian artists, and a smear campaign by competing industries like the wine trade.

Historically, alcohol bans were often based on moral arguments, but the underlying health issues of excessive consumption—including empty calories, weight gain, and nutrient deficiencies—are a significant part of nutrition and public health discussions.