09/15/2026
Humans were habitually using mind-altering plants as far back as 25,000 years ago, pushing back the history of drug use by millennia.
Long before the advent of agriculture, prehistoric hunter-gatherers in Indonesia were already chasing a mild high. Researchers examining rare Ice Age skeletal remains from the island of Sulawesi discovered deep, rounded grooves in the teeth of individuals dating as far back as 25,000 years ago.
This unusual wear points to a habitual practice of sucking on whole, abrasive betel nuts—the seeds of the areca palm, which release a stimulant inducing mild euphoria and alertness.
To confirm the ancient habit's efficacy, scientists tested the seeds using artificial saliva, proving that simply sucking on an intact betel nut releases enough active compound to trigger a physiological effect.
This discovery represents the oldest direct evidence of habitual plant drug use ever recorded, rewriting the timeline of human substance use. Biochemical testing confirmed the presence of arecoline, the psychoactive compound in betel nuts, embedded in the ancient dental tissues. While the habit likely began as a way to numb severe toothache pain, the prolonged wear eventually exposed sensitive dental pulp. As betel nut remains the world's fourth most popular psychoactive substance today behind only caffeine, ni****ne, and alcohol, this study reveals that humanity's complex relationship with addiction and self-medication is deeply rooted in our prehistoric past.
source: Brumm, A., Fakhri, Vlok, M., Papke, R. L., Matheson, C. D., Hakim, B., Stokes, C., Burhan, B., Suryatman, Saiful, A. M., Langley, M. C., Yuwono, P., Bayu Murti, D., Noerwidi, S., & Ririmasse, M. N. R. (2026). Betel nut sucking is the earliest recorded evidence for the habitual use of a neuroactive plant drug. Science Advances, 12(37).