A man recently shared his experience with what is often dubbed the “world’s most addictive” substance. While some drugs have medical applications, many are highly addictive, posing global challenges for millions.
TikToker Nolan Saumure (@nolansaumure) documented his encounter with what he calls the “world’s most addictive” drug. Known for sharing travel experiences on TikTok, Nolan tried a substance called “moma,” or betel nut, during a visit to the Philippines.
In his video, he visits a small store to purchase the betel nut. “Chewing betel in parts of Asia is even more common than smoking cigarettes,” Nolan explained. “In some areas, it’s normal to see people chewing it and staining the ground with their spit.” After buying a bag, he asked a local for instructions, who advised him to “remove the outer seed and roll it up.”
Curious about its ingredients, Nolan learned the “white powder” mixed with it is lime. He clarified, “The lime is actually ground limestone used to cut the mouth, allowing the substance to enter the bloodstream more easily.”
After trying a small amount and finding it “pretty bad,” he offered the rest to the local man. Reflecting on the experience, Nolan said, “You need to chew it and work it in. I get it. I’m already hooked.”
The Alcohol and Drug Foundation reports that 10-20% of the global population uses betel nut in some form. Research has associated betel nut with oral cancer, and an early study from the American Society for Clinical Nutrition linked it to increased risks of cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome, and obesity.
A National Institutes of Health (NIH) study also found that “Areca nut users experience enhanced well-being, euphoria, digestive soothing, and a sense of oral health protection. It can cause sensations of body warmth, sweating, salivation, palpitations, alertness, and reduced hunger, suggesting that compounds in the areca nut affect various levels of the autonomic nervous system.”