Anyone ever chewed it? It’s very popular in India and the Philippines. My relatives used to chew it a lot. I tried it once. The lime makes the mouth very dry, and turns the teeth red. It’s supposed to be a stimulant like nicotine but stronger- thought I didn’t really notice anything. I bought it at an Indian market maybe 10 years ago or more.

I think you are confusing this with Pahn, which has tobacco in it. In the Asian areas of London you get it in small packets and the nut is broken up imto small pieces. Its sucked or chewed and is very pleasant, having a cinamon/wintergreen type flavour. It dos not cut your gums, its sucked or chewed and then spat out. I work with a lot of guys from Pakistan where it is very popular and they use it all the time. There are various concoctions that contain Betel, but the nut itself is harmless I am told.

Easy to do, congrats on the diploma by the way!!

My info only comes from people who use it, so if you have more accurate information I won’t argue with it

i too seem to have read that it might be harmful somewhere. about on the lines as chewing tobacco. i snuffed it once… ^^ got powdered betel, mixed it with gawith apricot and snuffed it. i remember that it was quite a kicker, but i have no one who did a blind test so maybe that was my imagination at work. gives you red hankys when you blow you nose. looks like a nosebleed. funny though ^^