The age of the earliest-known pieces of gum, discovered in Sweden. They were made from sticky tree resin.
Numbers in the News: Gum
People have been chewing gum for thousands of years! Check out more sweet facts and figures about gum.
9,700 YEARS
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1¢
The price of chewing gum in 1871, when it was first widely introduced to U.S. drugstores.
1940s
When manufacturers started making gum from synthetic, or artificial, plastic and rubber instead of tree resin. Most gum is still made this way today!
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160 MILLION
The number of Americans who chew gum—almost half of the U.S. population!
80% TO 90%
The estimated percentage of gum that ends up on sidewalks. It’s the second most common form of litter, after cigarette butts.
TAKE IT FURTHER: In 1992, the government of Singapore banned the sale of gum to decrease litter. Do you agree or disagree with this decision?
SOURCES: SCIENTIFIC REPORTS (2024), STATISTA, KEEP BRITAIN TIDY
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