Why does my cat like to lick packing tape? Is t like a drug for cats? It can't taste good!!?

Is it dangerous for them? Sometimes I have opened packages on my desk and he gets a wild-eyed look and licks the tape kind of obsessively. I try and dispose of refuse regularly but occasionally a package is in transit (to be returned or contents not reviewed yet) and the little guy kind of gets freaky with the tape. I wonder why my cat wants to ingest a chemical like this and if I need to stop having open packages around!! I would hate to know this harms my cat but don't want to be an alarmist either!