Is Absinthe legal in the US? The facts

We get many inquiries if Absinthe is legal in the US. The good answer is YES! In the year 2007, almost 100 years after Absinthe prohibition, the alcoholic spirit "Absinthe" also known as "Absynthe" or the Green Fairy was once again legalized in the US. But in the USA all legal Absinthes have to be thujone-free by law. But, and this is important to know, the TTB considers a product thujone-free if the thujone content is less than 10 ppm (equal to 10 mg/kg).

So basically you can produce real Absinthe in the USA with thujone, but not more than 10 ppm. In the European Union, 35 mg are allowed. Nevertheless, this is a very remarkable step as it means that the FDA authorized Absinthe once again for sale in the USA!

Buy Absinthe now: It is legal in the US

Buy Absinthe with wormwood

Buy Absinthe at ALANDIA

Absinthe is legal in the US

Amongst other, this change was accomplished by the efforts of two companies. One was and is an Absinthe producer in Switzerland, Kubler Absinthe, the other Viridian Spirits, a US based company. The two of them worked independently of each other and Viridian Spirits was the first producer to get the legal approval for their brand Absinthe Lucid, although Kubler was the first and earliest to fight for Absinthe legalization in the USA. Kubler is made at a small family-owned Swiss distillery, it is the same distillery, that in 2005 had been instrumental in the re-legalization of Absinthe in Switzerland itself. Viridian Spirits was a new startup company controlled by Jared Gurfein, a New York attorney. They cooperate with Ted Breaux, inventor of the Jade Absinthes. In the banner above, you can see pictures of real Absinthes, that you can buy online at our store.

Is Absinthe legal?

The legal status of Absinthe in the United States

Absinthe was prohibited in the USA in 1912 and Absinthe was banned in the US until 2007. By that year, it got legalized. In the 19th century until the early 20th century, the green liquor could look back on a rich history in the USA (and in South and Central America). The most popular spot in the USA for the consumption of Absinthe was New Orleans and its French Quarter. In this quarter the famous Old Absinthe House was and still is located. It has been a tourist attraction for more than a century, and you can still see the original marble Absinthe fountain, which once again is now used to prepare the Green Fairy - legally. The USA was a late follower in the legalization of Absinthe. In the European Union, the legalization started already in 1988, but some countries still had national bans. Switzerland and France, for example, fully legalized Absinthe not before 2011 (France) and 2005 (Switzerland).

Is Absinthe legal? Yes!

Absinthe is not illegal anymore. You can say a big dream came true: Almost 100 years we had to wait until Absinthe got legalized once again. Absinthe bottles can now be purchased legally in alcohol stores, restaurants and bars worldwide including the USA. Questions like "Is Absinthe illegal in the USA?" fortunately belong to the past. Besides ordering a glass of Absinthe in bars and restaurant, the easiest way to buy the green liquor is to order it online. Check out our Absinthe for sale in the USA info site for more details.

Where to buy Absinthe legally

We at the ALANDIA online store offer a wide range of real Absinthe and original Absinthe accessories like Absinthe spoonsAbsinthe glasses and Absinthe fountains. ALANDIA was founded in the year 2001 and we have our headquarters in Cologne, Germany, Europe. Nevertheless, shipments to the USA are processed on a daily basis. As soon as you have placed your order it takes approx. 5-10 days (Airmail) until the Green Fairy arrives at your door in the USA. You will get a tracking number as soon as your order is shipped. The delivery is guaranteed, therefore you, the buyer, has no risk at all. Absinthe is legal in the USA, therefore you do not have to worry about any custom issues. If there should anything happen (breakage, loss etc.) we will reship or refund, whatever you prefer. Of course, all other Absintheurs can order at ALANDIA as well. We ship to many countries.

Differences between US and European Absinthes

People sometimes think that real Absinthe is not legal in the USA. That is not the case, although you find such information on the internet. To avoid misunderstandings, here are the important details about the legal status of Absinthe in the USA:

In the US all Absinthes have to be thujone-free. But, and this is important to know, the TTB considers a product thujone-free if the thujone content is less than 10 ppm (equal to 10 mg/kg). This means also American Absinthes are made with wormwood and can be considered as real Absinthes. But European Absinthes can use more wormwood. The legal thujone thresholds in the European Union are 35 mg. That is the difference between US Absinthes and European Absinthes: European Absinthes can legally contain more thujone.

Theoretically, you can say that European Absinthes can be made with more wormwood (thujone) as in the USA. But this depends on the specific recipe. Not every Absinthe in Europe has 35 mg, as it is not the objective of every distiller to make the strongest Absinthe legally possible. And thujone is only set free during the distillation process. It is not allowed to "add" it afterward, if the limit is not reached. If you want to know more about Absinthe and thujone and want to know which brands are the strongest, visit our info site: Absinthe and thujone. But generally said, Absinthe has much more to offer than thujone. It is a drink of culture with a very rich history. You should appreciate this uniqueness of the liquor and drink it responsibly. No matter if it has 10 mg or 35 mg thujone.

Absinthe history in Europe and the USA

The green liquor "Absinthe" looks back on a long tradition in Europe. Countries like France, Switzerland or Spain have produced the drink legally for decades. The roots of the Absinthe culture are in Switzerland and France. The first bottle of Absinthe was produced in the late 18th century in Switzerland, right at the border to France. The first commercial distribution was done by Mr. H. L. Pernod from Pontarlier, France. The grand-grandfather of the French Pastis "Pernod". Pernod brought Absinthe to its fame and glory. At the turn of the century Absinthe distilleries could be found all over Europe and Absinthe bars were common places in cities, especially in 19th century Paris. In the USA the Green Fairy, how Absinthe is lovingly called, was mainly drunk in the French quarter in New Orleans. In the Old Absinthe House, the famous Absinthe bar in New Orleans. Writers and poets like Hemingway enjoyed their holy glass of Absinthe there.

The most historically known Absinthe brand in the US was Herbsaint and Absinthe Butterfly. There exists a new version of Absinthe Butterfly, but it is not from the historical distillery. It is made in Switzerland on the basis of contract manufacturing. Herbsaint is still sold in the USA but as a thujone free Pastis / Anise version.

Absinthe illegal? Not anymore!

The Green Fairy, the historical liquor of the 19th century, is no longer illegal in the US and the rest of the world. The ban was lifted. You can (now) legally buy a bottle. It does not belong any longer to the controlled substances. To be precise, wormwood, the plant that gives Absynthe (Latin writing) its bitterness and controversy discussed Absinthe effect, was forbidden as a food ingredient. Because wormwood contains the neurotoxic ingredient thujone. But it was scientifically proven that thujone is only toxic in very high doses. If you drink a glass of Absinthe (or two) you will not see pink elephants, and you will not get insane. To put it in a nutshell:

- Absinthe is not a hallucinogenic drug (by the way, it WON'T show up in any drug test neither).

- In the European Union 35 mg of thujone in an Absinthe are legal. In the US only 10 mg (or less) are legal. These brands are considered as "thujone-free".

So basically the legalization of Absinthe in the US is a matter of a higher tolerance level of thujone. But thujone is not the most important thing about Absinthe. The green liquor should be consumed for other reasons: It has a long tradition and a very fascinating ritual. You should enjoy your glass of Absinthe and drink it responsibly. And remember, you do not drink Absinthe as a shot. You should serve the Green Fairy with cold water and some sugar. For the preparation, you need an Absinthe glass and an Absinthe spoon. Below, you can see a video of the traditional French Absinthe ritual. The way how you should prepare your glass of Absinthe. Historically, Absinthe was drank between 5 and 6 pm. This time was called the "Green Hour." We hope the info on this site has given you some clarity about the legal status of Absinthe.