China's Guangdong to Consider Regulating Betel Nut as a Special Controlled Substance

Betel Nut in China: At a Crossroads Where Health and Industry Clash

The Guangdong Provincial Market Supervision and Administration Bureau recently responded to a proposal from the National People's Congress, stating that it will systematically assess the feasibility of classifying betel nut as a specially controlled category. This statement indicates that future regulation of betel nut may become stricter.

The World Health Organization has classified betel nut as a Group 1 carcinogen. In the 2020 edition of the "Food Production License Classification Catalog," the category "edible betel nut" was removed, meaning betel nut is no longer regulated as a food product.

However, betel nut has become a massive industry, with its production value in China exceeding 70 billion yuan in 2020. Some experts predict that by 2030, betel nut-related oral cancer cases could surpass 1 million, with cumulative medical costs exceeding 200 billion yuan.

Guangdong responded that it will systematically assess the feasibility of classifying betel nut as a specially controlled category, following a management model similar to cigarettes. This would involve strict restrictions on advertising, mandatory health warnings, a ban on sales to minors, and a gradual reduction in overall betel nut consumption.

Source: The Paper (澎湃新闻) — Commentary