"There is sufficient scientific evidence that betel nuts can cause oral cancer," Hahn said. They also have been linked to asthma, diabetes and cancers of the esophagus and anus, he said.
A 2000 study of ethnic Indian users in London found that paan masala, a combination of spices and betel nut wrapped in a betel leaf, can be as addictive as cocaine, according to the British Medical Journal.
"Patients describe typical dependency symptoms, with difficulty in abstaining, withdrawal symptoms including headache and sweating, and need for a morning paan to relieve these symptoms," the 2002 Journal report said.
To combat the habit, the government is running anti-betel advertisements and education campaigns, including betel-nut prevention days.
Officials are also helping farmers to substitute orange and tangerine trees and Chinese herbs for betel crops.
Nut production declined 17 percent to 143,368 tonnes in 2004 from a peak of 172,574 tonnes six years earlier, according to the Council of Agriculture.
Still, the crop remains the country's second-largest, after rice, and affects the livelihood of 70,000 farming families, the council estimates.
Betel-nut sellers are coming under pressure, too. The police are stepping up inspections of betel-nut beauties for moral and safety reasons, said Patricia Huang, a spokeswoman at the Ministry of the Interior.
"Their revealing clothing may distract drivers and cause car accidents, as well as prompt male clients to harass or even sexually assault them," Huang said.
County officials are helping, closing down booths if they judge sellers' clothing to be too revealing, said Wang Yun-tsen, deputy director of economic development in Taoyuan County.
Taoyuan "is the main gate of our nation," Wang said.
The saleswomen "aren't a good subculture and we don't want people to use them to attract tourists."
Teng Chun-han, 28, a truck driver from Taoyuan, said the government should stop harassing the women, who are only trying to make ends meet.
He spends 12 hours a day on the road and uses betel nuts to stay alert, he said, paying a saleswoman wearing a short black dress and black boots.
"Eight out of 10 users will buy from betel-nut beauties," Teng said.
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