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Drug Use in the Pleistocene: Oldest Evidence Discovered in Indonesia
Researchers have found evidence on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi that humans may have used the psychoactive betel nut as early as 25,000 years ago, according to Science Advances. Analysis of two hunter-gatherers’ teeth revealed deep grooves and traces of arecoline, a substance affecting the nervous system. The oldest individual lived between 25,000 and 16,000 years ago. The findings suggest a cycle where betel nut use relieved tooth pain but caused further dental damage, predating agriculture by thousands of years.
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