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Young betel nut chewers increase

The number of betel nut chewers among Taipei City's minors has risen by 20 percent over the past four years, the Chinese-language media reported yesterday.

According to a recent survey by the city's Bureau of Health, 7.3 percent of Taipei youth aged between 12 and 18 are regular betel nut chewers. Those who have tried betel nuts at least once amount to 19 percent.

The rise may be due to the fact that betel nuts are legal and easier to obtain than methamphetamines and other contraband, the report said.

The attraction of scantily-clad "betel nut beauties" may also have contributed to increased betel nut chewing among youngsters, the report said.

The city-run Chunghsiao Hospital has recently treated a 10-year-old boy with early signs of oral cancer, according to the report. The boy had been chewing betel nuts for years, the report said.

Taiwan's recently enacted juvenile law bans the sale of betel nuts to minors. Parents violating the law face fines ranging from NT$10,000 to NT$50,000, while betel nut vendors could be fined NT$3,000 to NT$15,000.

In contrast, the proportion of young chewers in Kaohsiung has fallen from 10 percent to 8.5 percent in recent years.
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