107: Betel Nut

Caffeine (via coffee), alcohol and nicotine (via tobacco) are the top three human-used drugs on Earth. And you are probably familiar with all three. But the fourth most common drug isn't cocaine, heroin or marijuana. Betel Nut is a drug you might not know much about if you don't live in a tropical region. It is the fruit from the Areca catechu, a palm tree that grows wild in humid regions of the globe. The pit of the fruit can be crushed and chewed to instigate a euphoric high.In this episode I explain what Betel Nut is, why its use is so common, why (and how) it can be dangerous, and why we don't use it (or know about it) very often in the United States. Learn more about arecoline's action in the body in this Public Library of Science article. For more on Arecoline as treatment for parasites in animals, check out Science Direct. Check out this YouTube documentary about "Betel Girls" working in open air markets in Hsin Ju County, Taiwan. You can also check out Tobie Openshaw's Ted Talk about "Bingland Beauties" Music by FASSounds from PixabayThe Dr. Junkie Show does NOT offer any sort of medical advice.Support the show