Yes, I thought of betel leaf too.

It was a very common practice in India and Eastern Asia back in the day. Even Ramakrishna Paramahamsa and others had it too.

Sometimes before going to bed or for fun, they would have one or two puffs of hookah. This was a custom in the 19th century.

No need to dig deep into these regional customs or cultural food or recreational habits, as it won't yield much spiritual insight compared to their spiritual achievements.