The potent aniseed flavoured spirit became so notorious for causing hallucinations and madness that the French government banned it in 1915 and it was not allowed back on sale until 2000. The herbs include green anise and fennel, but to be considered real absinthe it must also contain wormwood. And it is one of the active ingredients of wormwood - thujone - that supposedly caused hallucinations. Except that scientific testing back in the 1970s proved that there are no hallucinogens in absinthe. Vincent Van Gogh's Café table with Absinthe.

Source: The Local December 18, 2019 11:26 UTC