The acclaimed Chinese soul singer releases her first English album after years of cross-cultural collaboration.
According to academic researchers in Myanmar , betel leaf chewing consists of areca nut , slaked lime, and catechu, all wrapped in betel leaf and chewed for a period of time. - Supplied PHNOM PENH: Myanmar is confronting a persistent challenge beyond its ongoing political instability and armed conflict -- the widespread practice of betel leaf chewing.
Despite numerous efforts to curb this social habit, which poses a threat to public health, the sight of public places stained with red spit serves as a daily reminder of its prevalence, worrying local authorities. The Yangon Region Public Transport Committee on Sunday urged bus commuters travelling across the Myanmar-Korea Friendship Bridge or Dala Bridge to stop spitting the red juice after chewing betel leaves. "Authorities have requested that both drivers and passengers refrain from spitting betel leaves or littering while crossing the Dala Bridge," reported the state media, the Global New Light of Myanmar. Yangon authorities have deployed 30 buses to ply the new bridge, which was opened in early February, and about 10,000 people commute daily. The city is upgrading its public transportation network by introducing modern buses and electric vehicles. According to academic researchers in Myanmar, betel leaf chewing consists of areca nut, slaked lime, and catechu, all wrapped in betel leaf and chewed for a period of time. In some regions, additional spices like coconut, clove, or cardamom are added to enhance the flavour. This concoction is considered the most potent psychoactive substance after caffeine, nicotine and alcohol. The practice is common in South Asia and South-East Asian countries, where betel leaves and areca nuts are readily cultivated in tropical climates. In Yangon, it is commonly available in every nook and corner, where push-cart sellers peddle their products. Professor Dr Gururaj Arakeri, a British award-winning expert from HCG Cancer Hospital in Bengaluru, India, said that the persistence of this habit is a ‘double episode’ of socio-economic and biological factors. "While it is highly prevalent in Myanmar, this practice is rapidly contributing to the global increase in oral diseases, necessitating immediate international attention and coordinated policy efforts," he told Bernama. Arakeri said that the habit is especially rampant among the low socio-economic demographic, as it is more affordable and accessible than other substances, requiring no special arrangements or lighting. He has researched the medical implications of betel leaf chewing for nearly two decades, including studies in Myanmar, and has received the prestigious British Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons endowment grant four times as well as the prestigious Paul Toller award. Chewing betel leaves is also gaining popularity among student populations, who use it to stay awake and manage stress during long hours of work and study, he said. While the latest data is not available, government statistics from 2017 indicated that over 60,000 people die annually, and about 30 per cent of adults over the age of 15 engaged in smokeless tobacco use or chewed betel leaves according to local media reports. - BernamaDiCaprio's 'One battle after another' leads BAFTA wins and claims Best Picture awardDoes Trump’s retreat on electric vehicle policy risk ceding ground to China?
Betel Leaf Areca Nut Public Health Chewing
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