Earliest known drug use may have trapped prehistoric foragers in a ‘vicious cycle’

Researchers found dental grooves and traces of arecoline on Sulawesi foragers, indicating betel nut sucking as early as 25,000–16,000 years ago — possibly the oldest known human drug use.
Habitual nut-sucking wore down teeth, exposed painful pulp and likely led to dependence, creating a prehistoric “vicious cycle” of self-medication.
Betel nut chewing is still common today (about 1 in 10 people across Asia/Pacific) and produces mild euphoria and alertness, later enhanced by adding slaked lime.