Chew gum – for pleasure, taste and health

Amid 40+ years in politics and public policy, I sometimes enjoy forays into other topics, like natural and artificial coral reefs, scuba diving, and medical and scientific advances over the centuries.   As a regular user, I've enjoyed the pop culture aspects of chewing gum, but now I'm happily discovering that the health benefits more than offset the opprobrium some still attach to savoring a stick or tablet.   Affixing your chewed morsel to the underside of a park bench is still a definite no-no, and Barack Obama and Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte have been chastised in Chinese and Indian media for enjoying their habits during official functions. But other stigmas have largely and thankfully disappeared. Even Emily Post approves, as long as you chew quietly and don't disturb people around you.