Industrial production of Absinthe began around the turn of the 19th Century in France, although traces of the wormwood based liquor can be seen as early as the 1500s. In the mid 19th century, its popular use was medicinal to prevent/treat afflictions, however it was also used recreationally by artists and writers alike. In the start of the 20th century, fear mongering surrounding alcohol reached an international scale, with Absinthe being outlawed in the United Sates as well as most of Europe. Despite the propagated myths, Absinthe does not make its users hallucinate. It has only been within the last 30 years that bans have been lifted, and the resurgence of Absinthe has been progressing steadily ever since.