[Sca-cooks] Re: wormwood

[Chris Stanifer]

--- BareToad at aol.com wrote:
> From what I understand the ban on Wormwood in the
> United States dates back to the 1920's (I could
> seriously be wrong on the time, I am at work away
> from my resources).

I can find no reference for an actual U.S. ban on
wormwood.  The production of Absinthe is prohibited,
however, in most countries with the exception of Spain
and a few others (according to online references).  I
know there is no U.S. import ban on products
containing wormwood, since both Campari and Frenet
Branca both contain it in varying amounts.

There are indications that Absinthe was made from the
fermented plant itself, and that a simple solution of
wormwood and alcohol does not produce the 'green muse'
effect of true Absinthe.

Another fact which causes me to doubt a U.S. wormwood
ban are the number of resources available which sell
the stuff legally.  The Legendary Ethnobotanical
Resource sells a pound of the plant for $14.  It is
available in seed form, as well, from a number of
online distributors.

I do not know the levels of concentration at which
wormwood becomes toxic, but from what I can gather, a
wormwood based liquer (i.e. alcohol infused with
wormwood) does not seem to meet those levels.

Balthazar of Blackmoor

=====
Let the people hate, as long as they also fear.

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