The Negative Stigma of Absinthe Analyzed by Qualitative Surveys in

The Negative Stigma of Absinthe Analyzed by Qualitative Surveys in
Paris, France and East Lansing, Michigan, U.S.A
By:
Jason Mashni and Justin Thomas
LBS 145 Cell and Molecular Biology
Wednesday 7:30-10:30pm
Katherine Diller and Joseph Maleszewski
Due: August 31, 2007
Abstract
Written by Justin Thomas
Revised by Jason Mashni
Absinthe is a bitter tasting green colored spirit drink. For nearly two centuries, a
cultural stigma has surrounded the beverage that the liquor causes severe psychological
side effects when consumed. This was contributed by the rising popularity absinthe
accrued in the past, as it found its way into the art circle and inspired notable artists such
as Vincent van Gogh and Pablo Picasso (Smith, 2006). Through research, absinthe’s
adverse effects, other then those caused by alcohol intoxication, such as hallucinations
have been refuted (Lachenmeier et al, 2005).
The purpose for this research was to determine the views of Americans and
Europeans on the effects absinthe has on the human body and to determine if a stigma
continues to exist in the modern age. This research focused on determining the social
views of absinthe both in the present day. The present stigma of absinthe was researched
by surveying 59 Americans at Lyman Briggs College, East Lansing, Michigan and 41
Europeans at Cite Universitaire, Paris, France. A broad questionnaire asked individuals,
age 17-30, for their opinion on the effects absinthe has on the human body and if the
individual had experienced or knew of another person who experienced non-alcohol
related psychological symptoms associated with absinthe consumption. Several
similarities continue to exist today, as it is obvious by survey analysis that absinthe is still
viewed as a drink that inhibits a person’s mental capacity and causes abnormal
physiological attributes to the brain. The total results show that 69 percent and 75 percent
of students, know what absinthe is at Lyman Briggs College (LBC) and Cite
Universitaire, respectively. A majority of people at Cite Universitaire and LBC think
absinthe causes psychological side effects, 79.5 percent and 71.4 percent respectively.
This contradicts the evidence by past research that absinthe does not cause any mental
incapacities, other than those caused by normal alcohol intoxication; hence a stigma
continues to exist in the modern age.
2
Introduction
Written by Jason Mashni
Revised by Justin Thomas
Absinthe, a green colored spirit-drink made with variety of alcohol
concentrations, was first created in Switzerland in the late eighteenth century. The
beverage spread throughout Europe by the late nineteenth century due to its popularity
with homecoming soldiers from the Wars of French Algeria and because of the
increasing price of wine (Lachenmeier et al, 2006). Absinthe, also known as the “green
fairy”, spread to all social levels. The drink became so popular as to warrant a time of the
day called the “green hour” or “l’heure verte” (Lachenmeier et al, 2005). Absinthe has
many unique preparations. Amongst some of the most popular is the traditional
preparation in which a dilution with water is conducted to reduce the bitter taste of
absinthe (Strang et al, 1999). The water is poured over a perforated spoon with sugar that
is placed on top of a glass with cold absinthe. The addition of water makes the non-water
soluble ingredients, mainly from anise and fennel, to come out of the solution and give
the drink a cloudy appearance (Lachenmeier et al, 2006). Traditionally this is called the
louche effect. The dilution of water for this traditional preparation is done to taste.
Absinthe also has roots in the art and intellectual circle of recent iconic figures.
Painters such as Edgar Degas, Vincent van Gogh, Pablo Picasso, Edoard Manet, and
Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec all were rumored to be influenced by absinthe (Lachenmeier
et al, 2006). Absinthe was used to stir creativity into the minds of many artists and
intellectuals. The drink literally would inspire artists to include absinthe in their
masterpieces, as seen in Edgar Degas’ masterpiece Au Café du l’Absinthe (1876),
currently on display at Musee d’Orsay in Paris, France.
The continual use of absinthe was believed to cause “absinthism.” This syndrome
had symptoms such as hallucinations, depression, blindness, convulsions, and mental
deterioration (Lachenmeier et al, 2005). Many blame absinthe for Vincent van Gogh’s
many mental disorders and early death at the age of 37 (Smith, 2006 and Lachenmeier et
al, 2005). Due to the adverse health effects, absinthe reputation and popularity suffered.
Bans throughout most of Europe and in the United States were enacted in the early
1900’s (Weisbord et al, 1997). The ingredient blamed for absinthism is an ancient
3
medicinal plant called Artemisia absinthium, also known as wormwood (Lachenmeier et
al, 2005). Wormwood gives absinthe its distinct green appearance and bitter taste
(Behrens et al, 2004). The principle components of wormwood are _-thujone, _- thujone
and absinthin (Höld et al, 2000). _-thujone and _- thujone are believed to be the toxic
chemicals while absinthin affects the taste (Höld et al, 2000 and Behrens et al, 2004).
Researchers believed that thujone acts similarly to tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the
active ingredient in marijuana that causes hallucinations, due to the structural similarities,
but this theory could not be proven in experiments (Meschler et al, 1999). Other research
shows that _-thujone acts to block the _-aminobutyric acid (GABA) type A receptor
which effects the central nervous system (Höld et al, 2000). This is the main reason for
concern when dealing with products that contain thujone. Researchers believe that
absinthism can be attributed to chronic alcohol intoxication (Strang et al, 1999). Inferior
ingredients or alcohol added in the processing of absinthe could have also caused the
observed health effects (Lachenmeier et al, 2006). In a recent medical case, wormwood
was noted as the cause of acute death of a 31 year old male who ingested extreme
amounts of the toxic chemical purchased over the internet (Weisbord et al, 1997).
Although absinthe was not officially blamed as the cause of death, its association with
wormwood negatively impacted its public image throughout the world.
The ban on absinthe was lifted in the early 1990’s for all the countries in the
European Union (EU) by the Council Derective 88/388/EEC (Lachenmeier et al, 2006).
A maximum level of thujone content was set at 35mg/kg. Since the ban was lifted there
has been a revival in the popularity of absinthe throughout Europe. Currently there are
over a hundred brands of absinthe being produced (Strang et al, 1999). A review of
absinthe brought four studies on absinthe brands together and concluded that 95 percent
of researched brands do no exceed the thujone EU maximum limit, and 55 percent only
contained 2mg/kg thujone or less (Lachenmeier et al, 2006). Historically, the amount of
thujone in absinthe has been hard to determine. It has been estimated to be as high as
260mg/kg although it was pointed out this may have been overestimated because of
insufficient analytical methods (Lachenmeier et al, 2005). Studies conducted on absinthe
dating from 1904 show thujone concentrations of less than .001 mg/kg (Lachenmeier et
4
al, 2006) and absinthe made from historic recipes contained less then the current thujone
limit of 35mg/kg (Lachenmeier et al, 2005).
A review on absinthe presented research by Kröner et al showing that drinking
absinthe with the EU limit of thujone results in only a high blood alcohol concentration
and no adverse effects from thujone (Lachenmeier et al, 2006). It was concluded that if
the EU thujone limit is obeyed the hallucinogenic symptoms of absinthe could be
neglected (Lachenmeier et al, 2006). Researchers hold the view that drinking absinthe
with significantly higher amounts of thujone content then legal limit of 35mg/kg will not
cause the drinker to ingest dangerous amounts of the chemical (Lachenmeier et al, 2006).
The bitter taste of absinthe reduces the risk of harmful effects because the taste receptor
hTAS2R14 responds to the bitter compounds in absinthe and cautions against ingesting
toxic amounts (Behrens et al, 2004). Research also shows that ethanol acts to increase
the reactivity of the GABAA receptor which offsets some of the danger caused by _thujone (Höld et al, 2000). So even though the GABAA receptor is inhibited by _-thujone,
the concentration of thujone and the presence of alcohol in absinthe offset the possible
health effects caused by thujone. The overall conclusion on absinthe based off previous
research is that absinthe does not pose as serious psychological or negative health effects,
other than those of typical alcohol consumption, as initially believed (Lachenmeier et al,
2006).
The current research on absinthe and thujone supports that the absinthe is no more
harmful that regular high proof liquor. Even so a stigma seems to exist about the harmful
effects, particularly psychological hallucinations, that absinthe can cause. This stigma is
portrayed in modern movies such as Alfie, Eurotrip, From Hell, Moulin Rouge and many
others (Smith, 2006). The drinking of absinthe is often characterized by the presence of a
hallucinated green fairy. These movies portray and encourage an uninformed negative
view that is held about absinthe.
The purpose of this research was to compare and contrast the differences in
beliefs between America and Europe surrounding absinthe to determine if a stigma
presently exists. The first objective was done by way of a qualitative survey of young
adults between the ages of 18-30. Fifty-nine Americans at Lyman Briggs College,
Michigan State University in East Lansing, Michigan and 41 Europeans at Cite
5
Universitaire in Paris, France answered a simple 17 question yes/no survey on absinthe.
The surveys were analyzed for any trends or comparisons between groups and responses.
These surveys were helpful to determine the stigma surrounding absinthe in both the
United States and Europe, and in turn provided statistics to compare between the two. It
was predicted that both countries would hold a negative view of absinthe that surpasses
that of alcohol, although the United States citizens would hold a harsher view then
European citizens. In connection with this prediction, it was forecast that Americans
would assume absinthe causes psychological side effects in association with its ban in the
United States, whereas Europeans would be more informed on the drink and not hold this
view.
Methods
Written by Justin Thomas
Revised by Jason Mashni
Absinthe Survey
Fifty nine and 41 anonymous individuals participated in a simple seventeen
question absinthe survey from Lyman Briggs College at Michigan State University and
Cite Universitaire in Paris, France respectively. The following criteria were used in
choosing individuals for the survey:
a) Each individual had to be between 17-30 years of age
b) Either sex was allowed to participate in the survey
c) Each individual was chosen randomly while at Cite Universitaire in Paris
d) Each individual was chosen randomly while at Lyman Briggs College at
Michigan State University in East Lansing, Michigan
e) Each individual had to waive the right to have their information freely used in
the analysis of this survey
The survey was handed out randomly to 59 Americans after traveling to Paris and to 41
individuals in Paris. The responses from the survey were categorized based on their
answer based on whether the subject had or had not ever tried or heard of absinthe. The
information was qualitatively analyzed to determine if there were any trends or
differences while comparing the responses from American and Europeans. The following
6
is an example of the survey given to each individual. The survey was translated into
French for the individuals who responded in Paris, France.
Absinthe Survey
1. Have you ever heard of the high proof liquor absinthe?
Yes
No
2. Do you think consuming large amount of absinthe can cause
psychological delusions, paranoia, or hallucinations?
Yes
No
3. Have you ever consumed absinthe? (If no, skip to question 7)
Yes
No
4. If yes, have you ever experienced any of the symptoms
to the consumption of absinthe?
Yes
No
5. If yes, do you think those psychological symptoms were
caused by consuming absinthe?
Yes
No
6. Did you consume any drugs or mind altering substances
while drinking absinthe?
Yes
No
7. Did you know of anyone who has consumed absinthe?
(If no, skip to question 11)
Yes
No
8. Do you know of anyone who has experienced any of
the symptoms mentioned above while consuming absinthe?
Yes
No
9. Have any of your peers ever experienced any of the possible
psychological effects associated with absinthe
Yes
10. Did your peers any drugs or mind altering substances while
drinking absinthe?
Yes
No
11. Would you approve of your peers consuming absinthe?
Yes
No
12. Are you a permanent resident of Europe?
Yes
No
13. Are you a permanent resident of France?
Yes
No
14. Are you a permanent resident of the United States?
Yes
No
No
15. What is your sex?
M
16. What is your age?
________
17. Are you currently a student at this university?
Yes
7
F
No
Results
Written by Jason Mashni
Revised by Justin Thomas
By using a survey (Figure 1) the public views on absinthe was quantified to allow
for easier comparison of the present stigma relating to the liquor. Forty-one students from
La Cite Internationale Universitaire De Paris were surveyed along with 59 students from
Lyman Briggs College, a sub-college of Michigan State University. The total results
from the responses show that 69 percent of both Americans and Parisian students know
what Absinthe is, along with 75 percent who believe that absinthe can cause
psychological delusions, paranoia, or hallucinations (Figure 2 & 3 and Table 1).
The results of American students (Figure 4 & 5 and Table 2) were compared with
results from Parisian students (Figure 6 & 7 and Table 2). More students from Cite
Universitaire had heard of Absinthe then students from LBC with 75.6 percent and 64.4
percent of students respectively. On the other hand, 79.5 percent students from Cite
Universitaire believe that absinthe causes hallucinations compared to 71.4 percent of
students from LBC. Other data shows that less Paris students would approve of their
peers consuming absinthe compared to American students with 33.3 percent and 44.4
percent of students respectively. Also, 26.8 percent of LBC students have consumed
absinthe with 22.2 percent of those students reportedly experiencing psychological
symptoms. Comparatively, 21.4 percent of Cite Universitaire students had tried absinthe
with 50 percent of those students reportedly experiencing psychological symptoms of
some kind. All responses from each question was recorded and compared along with an
age distribution (Figure 8).
Discussion
Written by Jason Mashni
Revised by Justin Thomas
The purpose of this experiment was to research the stigma behind absinthe. The
authors traveled to Paris, France during the summer of 2007 where absinthe was once one
of the most popular alcoholic beverages in the early 20th century (Lachenmeier et al,
2005). For the last two centuries since the advent of absinthe, the liquor has always been
8
surrounded by controversy. The recurrent use of absinthe was believed to cause
absinthism, which resulted in hallucinations, depression, blindness, convulsions, and
mental deterioration (Lachenmeier et al, 2005). The ingredient in absinthe that is to
blame for such medical symptoms is wormwood (Figure 9). This medicinal plant is
characteristic of absinthe’s green color. The main component of wormwood that is
believed to cause physiological health effects is _-thujone and _- thujone (Höld et al,
2000). At one point, absinthe had been banned in many countries in Europe and North
America because of its possible negative health effects. Today, regulations have limited
the amount of wormwood in absinthe, in response many countries have allowed it to
return to production since 1990. However, absinthe still remains banned in the United
States partly because of its wormwood content and also because of the negative views
absinthe holds (Lachenmeier et al, 2006).
Research in the field of absinthe supports the belief that the current day absinthe
has no potential to cause the said negative health effects (Lachenmeier et al, 2005).
Research on historic recipes of absinthe and studies done on old bottles of absinthe both
show that the _-thujone and _- thujone content would not have been in high enough
concentration to cause the negative side effects described (Lachenmeier et al, 2006).
That does not mean that nobody experienced hallucinations or paranoia while consuming
absinthe as it is predicted that these health effects could have been brought about by other
causes such as inferior products or mixing of the alcohol with other chemicals
(Lachenmeier et al, 2006). This may even be the reason why Vincent van Gogh was said
to experience large effects from absinthe as he was around fumes from paint and other
substances (Smith, 2006). We believe that even though past research refutes that
absinthe causes effects such as hallucinations and paranoia that many people would still
carry a negative view of absinthe.
The research behind this experiment was to compare the European and American
views of absinthe and to determine whether there actually is a negative stigma
surrounding absinthe. A survey was randomly distributed at the Lyman Briggs College at
Michigan State University and at Europeans from Cite University in their dining halls.
The survey was geared towards finding out if an individual had ever tried or knew
someone who had tried absinthe (Figure 1). The subsequent questions asked if they had
9
ever experienced or knew of someone who may have experienced the negative health
symptoms that are associated with absinthe consumption. The survey was analyzed once
all the responses were gathered. It was hypothesized that Americans will display a more
negative view towards absinthe. This is because absinthe has been banned in the United
States for several decades. The only way individuals will know whether or not absinthe
can cause negative health effects is by word of mouth, traveling out of the country, or by
obtaining the substance illegally. Thus it was predicted that the American responses will
be based of the refuted myths that surround the liquor. Europeans, however, have had the
ban of absinthe lifted for about the last two decades, so it was believed that a majority of
Europeans over the age of 18 will have tried the beverage. Therefore, most individuals
should know that the current absinthe liquors do not contain enough wormwood to cause
hallucinations or other negative psychological health effects (Lachenmeier et al, 2005)
The data we found does not support our hypotheses and in fact shows the opposite to
some extent.
Support that a stigma concerning absinthe does exist can be seen by looking at the
total responses from the surveys (Figure 2 & 3). These results show that 75 percent of
the people who knew about absinthe still believe it causes hallucinations and other
associated conditions. This supports our reason for carrying out this research, in that
there is a stigma surrounding absinthe and that it would be interesting to see how the
stigma differs in two areas with different laws on absinthe.
The main results come from the comparisons that can be drawn from the data of
each group of students. It was found that 75.6 percent of responses from Cite
Universitaire had heard of Absinthe compared to 64.4 percent of students from LBC
(Figure 4 & 5). This statistic supports our hypothesis. This can be attributed to the
simple fact that absinthe is legal in the European Union, while it is still illegal in the
USA. Therefore, European residents would be more likely to be exposed to absinthe.
Interestingly, 79.5 percent students from Cite Universitaire believe that absinthe causes
hallucinations compared to 71.4 percent of students from LBC (Figure 6 & 7). Along
with the other findings that show 33.3 percent of Paris students would approve of their
peers consuming absinthe while 44.4 percent of American students would approve.
10
These findings refute our hypothesis that American would view absinthe harsher because
of the fact that it’s illegal in America.
We believe that these findings can possibly be attributed to a few reasons. One
reason maybe because our research shows that even though absinthe is legal in the
European Union a higher percentage of American students still had consumed it. The
results showed that 26.8 percent of LBC students had tried absinthe while 21.4 percent of
Cite Universitaire students have consumed absinthe. This statistic shows that the
American students are more familiar with the effects of absinthe. Notably, this statistic
does not support was we previously believed, that more Europeans would have tired
absinthe. Another reason for the stigma found by the European students was the way that
absinthe was marketed in liquor stores. All the liquor stores that we entered the owner
would describe absinthe as having hallucinogenic effects. In fact, in one store called
Quinta in Amsterdam the owner said that the absinthe he was selling had THC in it.
Some stores marketed their absinthe as having the highest thujone content allowed, even
though it has been found that concentrations even above the thujone limit would yield no
adverse effects (Lachenmeier et al, 2006).
This data does have some errors that have to be taken into account. First, as with
any survey, the randomness of the survey comes into question. We surveyed people at
one time in each of the schools dining areas. By doing this we may have targeted more
of the population in each school that lives in the student housing and not other students
that live elsewhere. Second, the power of our surveys is not very strong. We had
originally aimed for at least 50 surveys for each school, but found that many of the
surveys from Cite were from people who were not students so their surveys were
discarded. Also, the directions on the survey were not followed by the survey takers for a
good amount of the surveys. For example, when the question said “If no, skip to question
7” many people did not skip to seven. Either way, the surveys were recorded as the
student filled it out. This may have affected the outcome of some of the survey results
for the questions that were aimed for a specific group (for example, only the people who
have tried absinthe). Last, as neither author is sufficient in translating French the
translation of our original English survey may have been translated incorrectly, or may
have been interpreted differently as some phrases cannot be translated word for word.
11
This may have been a factor in how each sample understood the question and in turn
filled out their surveys.
This research shows that a stigma still follows absinthe in today culture in both
America and Europe. It also shows that even though absinthe is legal in the European
Union that it still isn’t able to shed its past. For future research we suggest that similar
studies would be repeated in other schools or universities throughout Europe and
America. That way more data can be collected and better trends and correlations can be
found. Second, more research could be done to determine why the Europeans view
absinthe more negatively then Americans. This research not only sheds light on the
views of absinthe, but can be used in a broader context on research on all social stigmas.
Research can be used to better understand why this stigma still continues to live on. In a
world where science and research is supposed to hold some sort of power why isn’t the
public responding to the findings? The stigma behind absinthe mirrors the growth of a
lot of stigmas, in that it began in the wake of controversy, and gained public recognition
and survived even through the opposition of some force. In the case of absinthe that
opposition has come in the form of science and research that opposed the previously
believed facts. In any case, it is clear that the ghost of absinthe has followed in through
the ages and still lives on in the hearts of both Americans and Europeans today.
12
References
Written by Jason Mashni
Revised by Justin Thomas
Behrens, M., A. Brockhoff, C. Kuhn, B. Bufe, M. Winnig, and W. Meyerhof. 2004. The
human taste receptor hTAS2R14 responds to a variety of different bitter
compounds. Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications 319(2):
479-485
Höld, K., N. Sirisoma, T. Ikeda, T. Narahashi, and J. Casida. 2000. _-Thujone (the active
component of absinthe: _-aminobutyric acid type A receptor modulation and
metabolic detoxification. Proceeding of the National Academy of Sciences 97(8):
3826-3831
Lachenmeier, D. 2007. Assessing the authenticity of absinthe using sensory evaluation
and HPTLC analysis of the bitter principle of absinthin. Food Research
International 40:167-175
Lachenmeier, D., J. Emmert, T. Kuballa, and G. Sartor. 2005. Thujone-cause of
absinthism? Forensic Science International 158(1): 1-8
Lachenmeier, D., S. Walch, S. Padosch, and L. Kröner. 2006. Absinthe - a review.
Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition 46:365-377
Meschler, J., and A. Howlett. 1999. Thujone exhibits low affinity for cannabinoid
receptors but fails to evoke cannabinimetic responses. Pharmacology
Biochemistry and Behavior 62(3): 473-480 [online]
http://www.pnas.org/cgi/content/full/97/8/3826
Smith, P. 2006. Absinthe attacks. Practical Neurology 6:376-381
Strang, J., W. Arnold, and T. Peters. 1999. Absinthe: what’s your poison? British
Medical Journal 319:1590-1592 [online]
http://www.bmj.com/cgi/content/full/319/7225/1590
Tanigake, A., Y. Miyanaga, T. Nakamura, E. Tsuji, K. Matsuyama, M. Kunitomo, and T.
Uchida. 2003. The bitterness intensity of chlarithromycin evaluated by a taste
sensor. Chemical Pharmacology Bulletin 51(11): 1241-1245
Weisbord, S., J. Soule, and L. Kimmel. 1997. Poison on the line- acute renal failure
caused by oil of wormwood purchased through the internet. The New England
Journal of Medicine 337:825-827 [online]
http://content.nejm.org.proxy2.cl.msu.edu:2047/cgi/content/short/337/12/825
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Figures
Written by Jason Mashni
Revised by Justin
Thomas
Absinthe Survey
1.
Have you ever heard of the high proof liquor absinthe?
Yes
No
2.
Do you think consuming large amount of absinthe can cause
psychological delusions, paranoia, or hallucinations?
Yes
No
3.
Have you ever consumed absinthe? (If no, skip to question 7)
Yes
No
4.
If yes, have you ever experienced any of the symptoms
to the consumption of absinthe?
Yes
No
5.
If yes, do you think those psychological symptoms were
caused by consuming absinthe?
Yes
No
6.
Did you consume any drugs or mind altering substances
while drinking absinthe?
Yes
No
7.
Did you know of anyone who has consumed absinthe?
(If no, skip to question 11)
Yes
No
8.
Do you know of anyone who has experienced any of
the symptoms mentioned above while consuming absinthe?
Yes
No
9.
Have any of your peers ever experienced any of the possible
psychological effects associated with absinthe
Yes
No
10. Did your peers any drugs or mind altering substances while
drinking absinthe?
Yes
No
11. Would you approve of your peers consuming absinthe?
Yes
No
12. Are you a permanent resident of Europe?
Yes
No
13. Are you a permanent resident of France?
Yes
No
14. Are you a permanent resident of the United States?
Yes
No
15. What is your sex?
M
16. What is your age?
F
________
17. Are you currently a student at this university?
Yes
No
Figure 1: Absinthe Survey. This is the survey that was given out to American and
European students to try to determine the stigma surrounding absinthe in both areas.
A French version of this survey was used to give to students in La Cite Internationale
Universitaire De Paris which was translated by Ellen Santos.
14
Total Responses
90
80
# of Responses
70
60
50
Yes
40
No
30
20
10
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
Question Number
Figure 2: Total Response from Absinthe Survey. A survey was given out to a
59 Americans and 41 Europeans to try to determine the stigma surrounding
absinthe in both areas. This graph shows the total responses from both and
European and American students. This combined graph was used to determine
trends with all the responses. The student pool was composed of 45 males and 52
females ranging from the age of 17 to 30.
15
Total Responses by Percentage
100%
# of Responses
80%
60%
No
Yes
40%
20%
0%
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
Question Number
Figure 3: Total Responses Given by Percent. The results from both American
and European students were combined and graphed according to the percent of
each response. This combined graph was used to determine trends with all the
responses by using percents. The student pool was composed of 45 males and 52
females ranging from the age of 17 to 30. Forty-one students were from Cite
Universitaire and 59 students were from LBC.
16
Lyman Briggs College
70
# of Responses
60
50
40
Yes
No
30
20
10
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10 11 12 13 14
Question Number
Figure 4: American Response from Absinthe Survey. A survey was given out to
American and European students from a Lyman Briggs College and Cite Universitaire
respectively to try to determine the stigma surrounding absinthe in both areas. This
graph contains the total results from just the 59 American students. This data was
analyzed for trends, and it was also used to compare to European data.
17
Lyman Briggs College
100%
90%
80%
Percent
70%
60%
50%
No
40%
Yes
30%
20%
10%
0%
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
Question Number
Figure 5: American Response Given by Percent. A survey was given out to
American and European students from a Lyman Briggs College and Cite Universitaire
respectively to try to determine the stigma surrounding absinthe in both areas. This
graph contains the total results from just the 59 American students given in the
percentage of responses. These percentages were used to compare to European
percentages to make up for the differing amount of students surveyed in each area.
18
Cite Universitaire
45
40
# of Responses
35
30
25
Yes
20
No
15
10
5
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
Question Number
Figure 6: European Response from Absinthe Survey. A survey was given out to
American and European students from a Lyman Briggs College and Cite Universitaire
respectively to try to determine the stigma surrounding absinthe in both areas. This
graph contains the total results from just the 41 European students. This data was
analyzed for trends, and it was also used to compare to European data.
19
Cite Universitaire by Percent
100%
Percent
80%
60%
No
40%
Yes
20%
0%
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
Question Number
Figure 7 European Response Given by Percent. A survey was given out to
American and European students from a Lyman Briggs College and Cite Universitaire
respectively to try to determine the stigma surrounding absinthe in both areas. This
graph contains the total results from just the 41 European students given in the
percentage of responses. These percentages were used to compare to American
percentages to make up for the difference of surveyed students.
20
Age Distribution
25
# of People
20
15
Cite
10
LBC
5
0
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
Age
25
26
27
28
29
30
Figure 8: Age Distribution for Both Universities. In the survey given, sex was
recorded. These two graphs represent the distribution of ages for both the students
surveyed in Lyman Briggs College and Cite Universitaire. For LBC the range was
from 17 to 21 and the average age was 18.34. For Cite the range was from 18 to 30
and the average age was 23.81.
21
Figure 9: The Main Components of Wormwood. _-thujone, _-thujone, and
absinthin are the main components of wormwood. _-thujone and _-thujone are
thought to be the cause of the “absinthism” which symptoms include hallucinations,
depression, blindness, convulsions, and mental deterioration. Studies show _-thujone
is approximately 2.5 times more toxic then _-thujone (Lachenmeier et al, 2006). All
three chemicals give absinthe its distinctive bitter taste (Lachenmeier, 2007).
22
Tables
Written by Jason Mashni
Revised by Justin Thomas
Table 1: Total survey results and percentages of responses.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
Total Responses
Yes
No
69
31
66
22
24
74
8
18
8
8
2
22
53
43
19
54
13
62
3
66
38
58
26
55
10
82
59
41
%Yes
69.0
75.0
24.5
30.8
50.0
8.3
55.2
26.0
17.3
4.3
39.6
32.1
10.9
59.0
%No
31.0
25.0
75.5
69.2
50.0
91.7
44.8
74.0
82.7
95.7
60.4
67.9
89.1
41.0
23
Table 2: Survey results broken into American and European responses and
percentages of responses.
Males
Females
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
17
Cite
Universitaire
15
26
Yes
31
31
9
4
4
1
24
9
4
2
14
26
10
0
41
No
10
8
33
4
4
6
17
30
37
36
28
5
31
41
0
% Yes
75.6
79.5
21.4
50.0
50.0
14.3
58.5
23.1
9.8
5.3
33.3
83.9
24.4
0.0
100.0
% No
24.4
20.5
78.6
50.0
50.0
85.7
41.5
76.9
90.2
94.7
66.7
16.1
75.6
100.0
0.0
24
Lyman
Briggs
30
28
Yes
38
35
15
4
4
1
29
10
9
1
24
0
0
59
59
No
21
14
41
14
4
16
26
24
25
30
30
50
51
0
0
% Yes
64.4
71.4
26.8
22.2
50.0
5.9
52.7
29.4
26.5
3.2
44.4
0.0
0.0
100.0
100.0
% No
35.6
28.6
73.2
77.8
50.0
94.1
47.3
70.6
73.5
96.8
55.6
100.0
100.0
0.0
0.0
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35