Brooke Davis, a UK-based journalist, recently documented paan stains in the city, counting around 50 stains in just 30 minutes during a walk in Wembley. In a viral Instagram post, she wrote, "Let's talk about London's brown stains." The stains are caused by spitting paan, which is a mix of betel leaf, areca nut and sometimes tobacco. She mentioned in the video that the stains have raised concerns among residents and business owners.
"Have you seen these brown stains in London? I'm spending my day counting them, which is a really interesting use of my free will," she said in the video with a sarcastic tone.
Watch the video here:
Paan spitting, a common practice in some South Asian communities, has turned out to be a public nuisance in the UK, as these stains are not just unpleasant to look at, but also difficult to clean, with Brent Council considering banning it. The council has also pledged a "zero-tolerance approach" to the problem and imposed fines.
Earlier in November, Brent Council revealed that it is spending over £30,000 annually to remove them, BBC reported. Brent Council has even installed banners in hotspots and increased patrols to deter paan spitting. The council is also working to educate the public about the issue and encourage proper disposal.
Social Media Reaction
While responding to the video, some users called for stricter enforcement. Many residents are frustrated with the stains, while some argue that the problem is not unique to one community. The video gained massive traction, with over 2,60,000 likes and more than 12,300 comments.
"As an Indian, I support the LAW ! It should be banned," one user said.
"This is HIGHLY EMBARASSING FOR US," another wrote.
"It should be banned in all world , its consumers too. Period," a third said.
"Also don't forget to punish them so hard that they never even think about spitting pan like this in the public," a fourth said.
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