New Orleans's Dreka Martin eats $4000 worth of baby powder yearly — Here's why she loves it?

Dreka Martin, 27, from New Orleans, Louisiana, has admitted to consuming an entire bottle of a branded baby powder daily, accumulating an astonishing $4000 (Rs 3 lakh) expenditure in a year.

Dreka Martin, who is a makeup artist, shared her unusual journey in an interview, disclosing that her peculiar craving began a decade ago when she tasted the powder after using it on her child. 

Expressing a preference for the powder over "normal food," Dreka detailed her enjoyment of "melting" the white product in her mouth, chewing it for up to 40 seconds before swallowing.

Dreka Martin, who claims to suffer from Pica, an eating disorder characterized by the compulsive consumption of non-food items, managed to abstain from her powder addiction during her pregnancy with three-year-old Faiz Palmer. 

However, she has been spending $14 daily on a bottle since January, accumulating approximately $3,780 this year. Despite the company's warning that their baby powder is intended for skin use only, Dreka reports no health or digestive issues.

Expressing concern about her son developing a similar habit, Dreka acknowledges attempting to conceal her addiction from friends and family. However, she is dismayed when faced with judgment and health concerns from others. 

Dreka explains her compulsion, stating, “I love eating baby powder. It tastes exactly how it smells. It’s just something I do to cope. It just makes me feel good and makes me happy.”

Despite acknowledging her struggle with the addiction and attempts to quit, Dreka confesses, “It’s an addiction that I try to stop but I just can’t, when I think about it, my mouth waters. It’s gotten to the point where I eat baby powder, and I don’t even care about eating real food. 

If I had the choice, I’d choose baby powder over real food. I would spend my last dollar on it because I need it so much.” 

Despite the challenges, Dreka Martin candidly shares her story, shedding light on the complexities of her unusual addiction and the impact it has on her life.