Taipei, Taiwan (CNN) Ling Ling, 20, stands by the side of a highway on the outskirts of Taipei.

The top she wears is tight, and the transparent miniskirt she's wearing reveals a tattoo on her hip. She's waiting for truck drivers or working men to stop and buy her goods.

In most other cities, it might be assumed those "goods" were sexual services.

But not here.

Ling Ling sells betel nuts, an addictive snack that is hugely popular in Taiwan, India, Myanmar and other parts of Asia.

"The more beautiful you are, the more money you can make," she says. "That's why I dress like this."

Ling Ling prepares betel nuts behind a full-height transparent window in Taipei.

Deadly and addictive

Chewed by almost a tenth of the world's population, betel nuts -- or quids as they are sometimes referred to -- are the fourth most commonly used psychoactive substance after tobacco, alcohol and caffeinated drinks, according to World Health Organization.

Along the streets and highways in Taiwan, neon-lit booths with scantily clad "betel nut beauties" serve customers who pull up in their cars or trucks.

Often wrapped in betel leaves, or paan, and chewed like a large fibrous chewing-gum, the betel nut gives a buzz on a par with several shots of espresso or, some say, amphetamine.

But, unlike a daily cup of coffee, the buzz can also be deadly -- giving users mouth cancer.

Some users say betel nut cures a hangover in no time.

Explosive taste

Chen Wen, a taxi driver, says it helps him work long hours as he spits the red juice from a nut into a plastic cup.

"When I chew betel nuts I can work much longer. It's great!"

Some of the girls tell me that chewing betel nuts will give me a "spiritual lift." Others say it cures a hangover in no time. They come in different flavors, prepared with tobacco, lime or spices. Sweet and bitter are the most popular tastes.

Later, I spot a man leaning against his motorbike while casually munching away on a "binlang," which is the Mandarin for betel nut. He asks if I want to try and gives me a nut from his bag. It's wrapped in a paan leaf and prepared with drops of a bitter paste that he claims is a sort of Chinese medicinal alcohol.

The taste is explosive.

Just a few seconds after popping it in my mouth and starting chewing an instant shock hits my body. My body temperature soars and I feel sweat breaking out in my face. My heartbeat quickly goes up. The strangest feeling is a tingling on my forearms and I can see the hair on my arms rising. And yes, I feel a massive buzz.

At the same time, my mouth quickly fills up with saliva and I have to spit. It's then I notice puddles of red juice all over the pavement.

The female hawkers and fellow chewers standing close by all break out in giggles.

Photos: Hidden dangers of betel quids Say 'betel nut' – A man shows off his stained teeth, dyed red from years of chewing betel quids, potent parcels of areca nuts, lime and tobacco wrapped in a betel leaf. They give users a buzz when they're chewed but are also known to cause oral cancer. Hide Caption 1 of 11 Photos: Hidden dangers of betel quids All wrapped in a betel leaf – A woman sells betel leaves at a market in central Yangon. The climbing plant is grown throughout Asia, but predominantly in India and Bangladesh, according to Kew.org. Hide Caption 2 of 11 Photos: Hidden dangers of betel quids A sprinkle of areca nuts – Areca nuts are the seeds of the areca palm. They're sprinkled onto lime-coated betel nut leaves to make betel quids. Other ingredients are added, depending on local tastes, including cardamom, saffron cloves and sweeteners. Hide Caption 3 of 11 Photos: Hidden dangers of betel quids Step 1: A slick of lime – Kyaw Thet works quickly at his stall in central Yangon. He first coats the betel leaves in slaked lime before lining them up in rows on the counter to add the extra ingredients. Hide Caption 4 of 11 Photos: Hidden dangers of betel quids Step 2: A sprinkle of tobacco – He sprinkles tobacco on each leaf, adding to the addictive nature of the betel quid. Hide Caption 5 of 11 Photos: Hidden dangers of betel quids Step 3: Add the nuts – Areca "nuts" are added to the parcel, though they're not really nuts. They're seeds that come from the areca palm, which is grown throughout Asia. Hide Caption 6 of 11 Photos: Hidden dangers of betel quids Step 4: Extra lime – More lime is flicked onto the leaves before they're ready for wrapping. Hide Caption 7 of 11 Photos: Hidden dangers of betel quids Step 5: Wrapping it up – Kyaw Thet quickly rolls the leaves, tucking them into one hand while he works on the next. He sells them in packs of three for 100 Burmese kyat, around 10 U.S. cents. Hide Caption 8 of 11 Photos: Hidden dangers of betel quids Step 6: More tobacco – A bit more tobacco and perhaps an extra sprinkle of lime complete the process. Hide Caption 9 of 11 Photos: Hidden dangers of betel quids The buyer – Taxi driver U Sein, 37, is a happy customer. He chews around 10 betel quids a day. He says he doesn't smoke and that quids are "better for me." Hide Caption 10 of 11 Photos: Hidden dangers of betel quids Roadside stalls – Betel quid stalls are a common sight in markets and on roads in central Yangon. They're chewed in many countries throughout Asia, despite the published health risks. Hide Caption 11 of 11

Cancer-causing buzz?

However, consumption of betel nuts is far from a laughing matter.

The tradition is under fire for its negative health impacts and several medical research studies show that chewing betel nuts is highly carcinogenic.

Many sellers and chewers tell me that it's only the leaves that are harmful, while the nut actually is healthy. But the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) regards the betel nut itself to be a carcinogen.

Hahn Liang-Jiunn, the chairman of the Taiwan Alliance for Areca Nut Control and Oral Cancer Prevention, says there are several reasons why chewing betel nuts is so popular in Taiwan despite the health risks.

Many people who work outdoors -- such as construction workers, long-distance drivers or fishermen -- feel they get energy from chewing. It also keeps them warm and stops them feeling thirsty, he explained.

There's also a social aspect to it.

"It's actually easier to make friends by chewing betel nuts than by smoking cigarettes," said Hahn, who is also a professor emeritus at National Taiwan University Hospital. "That's why many young people start chewing at such an early age."

Kicking the habit

Taiwan is pushing people to kick the habit.

Since 2014, anyone caught spitting betel nut juice in the capital of Taipei is fined and required to attend withdrawal classes.

Taiwan is also trying to incentivize local farmers to change crops and cut the supply of the betel nut. Some 4,800 hectare of betel nut farming land is expected to be planted with crops like tea, citrus fruit or mango, according to Hahn.

Taiwan wants farmers to grow tea, mango and citrus fruit instead of betel nut, which is a key part of the economy.

Similar steps are being seen elsewhere -- albeit with mixed results.

There's some evidence that the push has had an effect.

If a red betel nut grin historically was considered a symbol of beauty , that's definitely not the case in Taiwan anymore, especially among younger urbanites.

"I used to chew when I was working in a factory ten years ago. I did it because everybody else did," says a young man who offers his nickname, Hippo. "But I moved in to Taipei and here almost none of my friends use it. I will never touch it again. It's dangerous and looks bad."

From 2007 to 2013, Taiwan's overall betel quid chewing rate among adult men fell by 45%, to around 950,000 people out of a population or almost 24 million, according to the Ministry of Health and Welfare.

Sales halve

In a roadside Taipei booth, Xiao Hui, a long-time seller, is busy preparing betel nuts while looking after her one-year-old daughter who is sitting behind her in a cot.

Xiao Hui doesn't want her daughters to become "betel nut beauties."

Her index finger is brown from years of working with the nuts, and teeth dark red from chewing.

"Even if the government says it's not good for health and gives you cancer, many of my customers will come back. If you chew, you chew," she says.

But she wants a different future for her three daughters.

"I don't want them to chew because it's bad for their health. And I don't want them to work as betel nut girls because it's not a good job."