BACKGROUND With the backdrop of a global ecstasy epidemic, this study sought to examine the trend, correlates, and onset sequence of ecstasy use among adolescents in Taiwan, where a well-established gateway drug such as marijuana is much less popular. METHODS A multistage probability survey of school-attending adolescents in grades 7, 9, 10, and 12, aged 11-19 years, was conducted in 2004, 20...

The betel nut is commonly used as a drug by Asian populations. A high prevalence of adverse pregnancy outcomes has been reported in women who chewed betel quid during gestation. The hypothesis that chronic exposure of the fetus to arecoline (the principal alkaloid of the areca nut) is the cause was investigated in a clinical observational study on six newborns from Asian mothers who chewed bete...

Areca nut is one of the most widely used psychoactive substances with several hundred million users worldwide, predominantly in southern Asia. Areca nut can be chewed alone or in a variety of ways that differ by region. The habit of chewing betel quid, containing fresh, dried or cured areca nut, catechu, slaked lime and flavouring ingredients wrapped in betel leaf, is widespread in India, Pakis...