Betel nuts are highly detrimental to the health of people in this country. The Ministry of Health and Welfare says that nine out of every 10 mouth cancer sufferers in Taiwan is a habitual betel nut chewer. The results of a survey of betel nut use by high school, senior high school and vocational school students carried out last year by the Health Promotion Administration show that the rate of betel nut use is 0.9 percent for high school students and 2.4 percent for students in senior high and vocational schools, while students’ knowledge of relevant health issues is rather deficient.
Surprisingly, the most common source of the first betel nuts chewed by high school students is their families and elders at 42.7 percent, followed by classmates and friends at 35.8 percent. The major source of senior high and vocational school students’ first betel nuts is classmates and friends at 56.3 percent, followed by family and elders at 26.3 percent.
(Liberty Times, translated by Julian Clegg)
Photo: Chen I-chuan, Liberty Times
照片：自由時報記者陳奕全
檳榔危害國民健康甚鉅。衛生福利部表示：在台灣，十個口腔癌病患九個有嚼檳榔習慣。國民健康署去年針對國中生與高中職生的嚼檳榔行為調查結果指出，國中生嚼檳率的比例為百分之0.9，高中職生總計為百分之2.4，且相關健康知識不足。誇張的是，國中生首次嚼檳榔的來源，最多的竟是家人及長輩，佔百分之42.7；其次才是同學及朋友，佔百分之35.8。高中職生首次嚼檳榔來源，最多為同學及朋友，佔百分之56.3；其次為家人及長輩，佔百分之26.3。
(自由時報記者綜合報導)
Photo: Cheng Shu-ting, Liberty Times
照片：自由時報記者鄭淑婷
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