Absinthe the Green Fairy

"Green Fee" legalized

"Green Fairy" is legalized UTL: Nationalrat follows the Little Chamber - Application for retention of the ban with no chance Berne (AP) In Switzerland, the "Green Fairy" legalized. The National Council is on Monday, the Little Chamber, and has followed the rules on the prohibition of absinthe in the Food Act and the Act on the burned water repealed. In the Federal Constitution, the ban has been previously deleted.

With the lifting of the ban, the wormwood schnapps Absinthe alcohol in the future, be subject to tax. In addition, are also limits to meet the allowable Thujongehalt the "Green Fairy" to define and is geared to international standards. A request by Markus Wäfler (EDU / ZH), not to lift the ban, thus contributing to curbing alcoholism - including among the young - to afford, remained unsuccessful. The National followed virtually unanimous in the Small Chamber and was called the two legislative amendments by 142 against 13, or 126 votes against eleven good.

Already last year, an initiative of the States now not re professional representative Jean-Claude Cornu (FDP / FR) for a lifting of the ban on absinthe had. The Federal Council for its part said, some time later, also for a waiver from the ban, but warned against a marketing anishaltigen the spirit as a new fashion drink. He described it as crucial for the proposed legalization of the "Green Fairy" that an equality of the drink to the level of other alcoholic beverages also have the same rights to manufacture and control them.

Currently, the illegal absinthe production, which is primarily due to the growing areas of the wormwood plant in the new Luxembourg Val-de-Travers is concentrated on about 10,000 liters per annum. From the repeal of the ban hope that the politicians an opportunity for local farmers, their production continues to diversify.