Wah, now an information thread s turning into an alcoholic thread?
Happens quite a lot when there's no information
If anything changes on that front, it'll be promptly updated.
Also be careful what kind of Absinthe you get. Wormwood is bad, mmmkay? Granted, properly prepared absinthe is no more dangerous than any other potent spirit, but if they don't do it right, the effects can be very dangerous. My brother was stationed over in Germany, and had a buddy who got into a lot of trouble and had to get hauled to the medics after an incident with some.
I'm also of the opinion that a drink should be worth tasting. If I don't enjoy the flavor, why bother drinking it? I guess that's why I'm a bigger fan of mixed drinks.
Very true, but it's easy to tell what is good and bad "absinthe". The bad stuff is actually not true absinthe, as it's mixed. All absinthe is made using wormwood, but the distillation destroys the poison. Throwing wormwood into a pot of everclear and letting it soak is not really absinthe. Even then, the poison is usually quite small. You have to use way more wormwood than normal, as well as drinking quite a bit of it. That being said, it's very possible and does happen.
If you buy Absinthe in any modernized country, they will have regulations regarding the amount of poison so it'll be safe for consumption. There was a time when it was banned until they learned more about it. Naturally, when it made its return, regulations were put in place to ensure it was only distilled and not mixed.
Also, as you say: It's a very potent spirit. A lot of the effects attributed to Absinthe ( hallucinations for example ) are actually just a result of the alcohol in large quantities. If you drink Absinthe the same way you drink vodka, you'll be lucky if it's just hallucinations you get