Betel nut chewing is an important cultural practice in some regions in south and south-east Asia and the Asia Pacific. It has traditionally played an important role in social customs, religious practices and cultural rituals. Some people from these regions who have settled in other countries have continued their cultural practice of chewing betel nut.
There is no safe level of drug use. Use of any drug always carries some risk. The effects of betel nut are not fully understood and further research is needed. However, people who have used the drug have reported the following effects:.
People who use betel nut for the first time, and people who have used it before who take a large amount or a strong batch, may experience the following:. The effects of taking betel nut with other drugs — including over-the-counter or prescribed medications — can be unpredictable and dangerous, and could cause:.
If your use of betel nut is affecting your health, family, relationships, work, school, financial or other life situations, you can find help and support. Not sure what you are looking for? Try our intuitive Path2Help tool and be matched with support information and services tailored to you. The active ingredient in betel nut is arecoline, which is a Schedule 4 poison prescription only medicine and therefore is illegal to possess or sell without proper authority.
Importation of Betel Nut into Australia is also prohibited. This makes it the 4th most widely-used psychoactive substance, after nicotine, alcohol and caffeine. Betel nut. Such is its effectiveness, that alongside nicotine, alcohol and caffeine, betel nuts are believed to be one of the most popular mind-altering substances in the world. Although used by women and children, the nuts are especially popular among working-age men, who chew to stay awake through long hours of driving, fishing or working on construction sites.
High rates of oral cancer are destroying the lives of many who buy betel nuts, often decades after their first taste. Now in Taiwan, where the nuts are affectionately known as 'Taiwan's chewing gum', the government is taking action to curb this centuries-old habit and reduce the thousands of lives lost each year. The betel nut is a key part of many Asian cultures and can be consumed dried, fresh or wrapped up in a package known as a quid.
Although the exact preparation varies across countries and cultures, the quid is usually a mixture of slaked lime, a betel leaf and flavourings such as cardamom, cinnamon and tobacco. Worryingly, the International Agency for Research on Cancer lists each ingredient, with the exception of cardamom and cinnamon, as a known carcinogen - or cancer-causing agent. The slaked lime is seen as a particular problem as it causes hundreds of tiny abrasions to form in the mouth.
This is thought to be a possible entry point for many of the cancer-causing chemicals. Like most people, Qiu Zhen-huang, 54, was completely unaware of the risks.
A former gravel company worker, he chewed for ten years. Twenty years after quitting, he developed the disease. Three years ago, a small hole developed in his left cheek and in just three months, the tumour grew to the size of a golf ball and completely changed his life.
I had a gauze pad over it. It hurt," he said. An early study published in the American Society for Clinical Nutrition found a strong connection between betel nut and an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome, and obesity.
Betel nut may interact with other drugs or herbal supplements. It could cause toxic reactions in the body or reduce the effects of medications. More testing is needed to determine just how betel nut affects other drugs. Regular betel nut use may also lead to dependency and withdrawal symptoms.
The U. It has placed the nut on its Poisonous Plants Database. A fact sheet on betel nut with tobacco issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention CDC warns of the following medical conditions associated with betel nut use with tobacco:. Health organizations and governments around the globe are taking steps to increase awareness of betel nut risks. It calls for a combination of the following measures to curb the practice:. Chewing betel nut has a long history reaching back 2, years, and some cultures claim to have found benefits associated with it.
However, modern research shows many health risks associated with the practice. Regular chewing of the betel nut has been linked to cancer of the mouth and esophagus, oral submucous fibrosis, and tooth decay. The WHO has classified betel nut as a carcinogen and initiated an action plan to reduce its use.
Reducing risk factors such as those presented by betel nut chewing is important for public health around the globe. People have been chewing gum in various forms for thousands of years. This article explores the health benefits and risks of chewing gum. There are many daily ways you can protect your teeth.
Gingivitis is an inflammation of the gums caused by a bacterial infection.
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