Mexico Tells Citizens To Swallow Their Gum

The country that gave the world chewing gum wants to get cleaned up after finding that the average square yard of Mexico City sidewalk has 70 blobs of discarded gum.

Now Mexico is responding with innovations ranging from expensive sidewalk steam-cleaners to natural chewing gum that breaks down quickly, and even telling its citizens to swallow their gum.

The general in the war on discarded chewing gum is Ricardo Jaral, Mexico City's director for conservation of public spaces.

He has even purchased ten German-designed machines to treat sidewalks with steam and chemicals, and plans a large-scale cleanup starting February 1. He is also looking to launch a public-awareness campaign.

"When you finish chewing a piece of gum, you either have to put in a piece of paper and deposit it in a trash receptacle, or swallow it," says Jaral.

But Dr. Nick Desai, a pediatrician says swallowing gum isn't a good idea as it can ball up with other objects and cause an intestinal blockage.

"It's nothing to get too upset about if it happens," says Desai of downing your gum. "But we shouldn't make a habit of it."

However, amid concerns Jaral reassured Mexican citizens on Wednesday it's perfectly safe: "I've always swallowed my gum, and it's never done me any harm."

The fight against chewing gum isn't anything new. Singapore once famously banned chewing gum outright to save its sidewalks, and still requires chewers to register at the pharmacy.

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