what do you guys think of paan? for those of you who dont know its a mix of betel(areca nut) spices and lime, you can order it at mrsnuff

From what I know and have tried, it’s nowhere near the levels you find in native settings. A local Indian store sells homemade pan and when I buy a package of the gutkha they all strenuously tell me not to buy it as it is supposed to be highly carcinogenic and extremely bad on the teeth. But it’s hardly fresh beetle nut mixed with the incredible tabacco they use…

thats exactly my experience also, the dried isnt as strong as the fresh, Ive read about someone getting a spinning head from fresh something you never get from dried

Had it fresh for several trips in Micronesia. Overrated, and pretty nasty for such buzz. Although the Betel from Yap is way strong.

Had it in Papua New Guinea years ago and didnt do anything for me. All the locals used it and their mouths were permanently stained red. Think i’ll pass.

I suppose it is one social custom Westerners won’t usurp. :))

I read a lot of Indian fiction, and because paan is mentioned so often, I was curious to try… It’s banned in many cities, I think, because the red spit marks the shiny new pavements and looks awful (although, considering rich areas and poor areas are divided by steaming raw sewage etc it strikes me as odd that they’d pay to enforce a no paan rule, yet leave the slums how they are; or perhaps, it is as I suspect, more a case of ‘let’s polish the turds for the tourists’).