World Cancer Day: Myanmar to combat causing-cancer betel quid chewing

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In Myanmar, there's a common habit that causes cancer, betel quid chewing. There's a campaign to try to combat it but it's not clear how well it's working. Dave Grunebaum has the story.

In Myanmar there are few things more popular than betel quid chewing. You can tell from the roadside stands across the country to the red stains on teeth and streets. Government surveys show more than 60-percent of men here enjoy the habit. Almost 25-percent of the women do.

KO KO OO RESIDENT "I need something after I eat and I like betel."

Betel quid is made from carcinogenic areca nuts that are placed in a betel leaf with slaked lime. In Myanmar it's usually mixed with tobacco.

Research shows that someone who regularly chews betel quid mixed with tobacco is 27-times more likely to get mouth cancer than someone who doesn't chew it.

DR. THAN SEIN PEOPLE'S HEALTH FOUNDATION "So they will have a tongue cancer, they will have a gum cancer or the internal oral cancer."

Last year, the People's Health Foundation, a private non-profit in Myanmar, ran an anti-betel quid chewing campaign that included television spots explaining the risks. But it's not clear yet if the campaign made much of an impact.

KHIN SU RESIDENT "I think it's a good program because chewing betel quid is not good but people keep chewing it and it's dangerous."

ARR SAN RESIDENT "No matter what it shows people who like betel quid will keep chewing betel quid."

Arr San is 18-years old and works at a betel quid stand. He has been chewing betel quid for five years and dismisses statistics that show high cancer rates.

ARR SAN RESIDENT "The pictures it's showing, it's rare in Myanmar to get this. It's only in pictures."

DAVE GRUNEBAUM YANGON "But the People's Health Foundation says most of the people in Myanmar never see real life cases of mouth cancer because most patients here are diagnosed at a late-stage."

DR. THAN SEIN PEOPLE'S HEALTH FOUNDATION "People once they have disease they usually die within a short time."

Betel quid chewing is part of the culture here and changing such a widespread habit is no small task.