Drug use may have begun 25,000 years ago in Indonesia, research finds
New research from Griffith University suggests that humans in Indonesia may have been using betel nuts as a psychoactive substance as early as 25,000 years ago. This discovery challenges previous theories that drug use began with the advent of farming.
Why it matters
It shifts the timeline of human psychoactive substance use, suggesting it is a much older practice than previously documented.
Image source, MAPANG Project Image caption, Jaws of early human settlers showed unusual dental wear which researchers linked to sucking whole betel nuts
Humans may have been using mind-altering substances far earlier than scientists had once thought, new research indicates.
The evidence shows that betel nuts were used as drugs by some Indonesian communities up to 25,000 years ago.
Scientists from Griffith University in Australia found unusual patterns in the skeletal remains of early human foragers, which they linked to the sucking of betel nuts.
Professor Adam Brumm, who led the research, said this may be the "earliest evidence for drug use anywhere in the world".
Image source, Professor Adam Brumm Image caption, When consumed, betel nuts induce a sense of mild euphoria and heightened awareness
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