Is absinthe (alcohol issues aside) really debilitating? I've heard that
it gained the negative reputation because the French wine
industry suffered some major crop failures, and returning
veterans, used to drinking absinthe because of the dearth of
wine abroad, introduced it to the the general public at large as a
substitute for wine.
Once the vineyards started recovering, they waged a negative
marketing campaign on the usurping beverage, that included
lobbying for laws against the stuff.