Paan (betel quid)

Paan is a preparation combining betel leaf with areca nut consumed throughout the Indian subcontinent. It is chewed for its stimulant and psychoactive effects. After chewing it is either spat out or swallowed. Paan has many variations. Slaked lime (chunna) paste is commonly added to bind the leaves. Some preparations in the Indian subcontinent include katha paste or mukhwas to freshen the breath.

 

The Spit from Paan : An Eyesore

Everywhere in India we find paan chewing artists who take it on themselves to paint our country, they spit paan and paint our country red.

On 22nd of August, 7 days after our 73rd Independence Day, I saw a paper flag of India covered in paan spit.

Everywhere in India we see paan stains on the walls, dividers, pavements, public buses and even freshly painted public properties aren't excused by these paan chewers, every public property is a target to spit on.

Just yesterday me and my friends were talking about how the newly painted dividers are already covered in paan.

I've literally been spat on by paan chewers twice, once on my way back home from school and once on my way to a get some printouts.

The spit from chewing betel nuts is considered an eyesore. Because of this, many places have banned selling and chewing paan and India should take some strict actions as well.

Effect on Health

Paan is an addictive and euphoria-inducing formulation with adverse health effects.

The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) accept the scientific evidence that chewing betel quids and areca nut is carcinogenic to humans.

A recent study found that areca-nut paan with and without tobacco increased oral cancer risk by 9.9 and 8.4 times, respectively.

In a study conducted in Taiwan, scientists reported the extent of cancer risks of betel quid (paan) chewing beyond oral cancer, even when tobacco was absent.

In addition to oral cancer, significant increases were seen among chewers for cancer of the oesophagus, liver, pancreas, larynx, lung, and all cancer.

Paan and gutka are legal in India, and readily available everywhere you go in India. The medical, dental, and public health communities along with Swachh Bharat Abhiyan in mind need to join forces to combat this threat.