Thujone is widely known for being a chemical contained in absinthe and responsible for the so-called ‘secondary effects’ which include, but are not limited to, irregular eyesight sensitivity to colors and light, a feeling of sober inebriation, euphoria, hallucinations, and even epileptic attacks. Since the mysterious impact produced by the ‘Green Fairy’ has played its part of a magnet attracting curious minds, absinthe manufacturers claimed their liquor contain unbelievable amounts of Thujone – 260-350 mg/L.

However, modern research shows that pure Thujone oil derived from the herb called Artemisia Absinthium, which is an indispensable absinthe ingredient, constitutes approximately 40-60% of wormwood oil contained in the spirit. Scientific tests demonstrate that Thujone content in absinthe is around 1.8-4 mg/L, while the chemical can pose a real threat to a person’s life only if taken in great amounts.

The lethal dose in humans is still unknown, however Thujone is claimed to be toxic to both liver and brain cells, as well as trigger muscle spasms and general convulsions when taken in a high amount.

One of the studies conducted by the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs, also shows that alcoholic drinks with high Thujone concentration produce a short-term negative effect on the attention performance, when attention is paid to the central signals only, while the peripheral signals are neglected. The assessment of mood dimensions was also carried out within the same experiment, and it was discovered that the anxiolytic effect typical for regular alcohol is suppressed by the high Thujone concentration.

Nowadays, absinthe manufacturers list the Thujone level in their product on the bottle sticker and most countries have elaborated laws stating the maximum legal Thujone content. In the EU it is 35 mg/kg in alcoholic drinks labeled as bitters.