Study Finds Evidence of Habitual Drug Use Dating Back 25,000 Years in Indonesia

New research suggests that habitual drug use may have begun 25,000 years ago in Indonesia, based on archaeological findings of plant remains with psychoactive properties.

10 Sept, 12:15 — 10 Sept, 14:54

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Why this matters

This discovery pushes back the known timeline for habitual psychoactive substance use by early humans, challenging previous assumptions about the origins of drug culture. It provides critical insight into the social and ritualistic behaviors of prehistoric hunter-gatherer societies in Southeast Asia.

Key entitiesIndonesia Sulawesi Betel nut

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Showing 3 of 3 sources

BBCHigh5h ago

Drug use may have begun 25,000 years ago in Indonesia, research finds

Scientists have found evidence that early human foragers in Indonesia were using the betel nut as a drug.

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Daily SabahMixed3h ago

Study traces habitual drug use back 25,000 years in Indonesia

Evidence of habitual drug use may date back as far as 25,000 years, when hunter-gatherers on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi regularly consumed betel nuts, according to a recent...

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star-kenyaMixed2h ago