Reid, Anthony2018-08-060021-9118http://hdl.handle.net/1885/146072Southeast Asians appear co have been extensive users of mild narcotics throughout their recorded history. For all but the past century of this history, the betel quid, composed of areca nut, betel leaves, and lime, was the characteristic relaxant central to the agreeable social interaction that Southeast Asians valued. For thousands of years the peoples of Southern Asia and Melanesia were inveterate chewers of betel, giving rise to the claim that it was the most widely used narcotic in human history (Lewin 1964:231). In this region most other narcotics began to be used as a part of the betel chew.11 pagesapplication/pdf© 1985 by The Association of Asian Studies Inc.Bettel-Chewing; Tobacco Smoking1985-05