Originally Posted by
They Call Me Blockhead
Alpha-thujone can have an effect on GABA receptors and cause some perception problems, but to get those levels, even on high thujone "absinthe" you'd be in the hospital for alcohol poisoning first. The appeal for the Belle Epoche artists was that it was a smooth, cheap strong drink. I know it's less romantic to think that Van Gogh and Latrec were just lushes, but that seems to be more true.
Lucid has no thujone (also, a horrible flavor) but the Kubler has a small amount (these are the two absinthes available in the US, there's also some absentes, which is something different). The actual law is, I think, 10ppm, which most Western European absinthes fall under (and most pre-ban absinthes as well), but the perception of illegality is such that customs officers treat all absinth as illegal.
My friends have all had very good luck ordering online. Not me of course, don't want to anger the customs people.