US: Human Rights Watch Exposes Tobacco Farm Child Labourers as Young as 12

**~~howard bonito~~** · September 18, 2014, 08:14 AM

US: Human Rights Watch Exposes Tobacco Farm Child Labourers as Young as 12

A Human Rights Watch report has revealed lax US federal labour laws permit children as young as 12 to be employed across tobacco farms in the US, despite evidence that the work carries major nicotine poisoning risk from handling the tobacco leaves.

The 138-page Human Rights Watch report studied the conditions under which children have been working across tobacco farms, over the course of a year, in four of the largest tobacco producing states –North Carolina, Kentucky, Tennessee and Virginia, where an estimated 90 per cent of tobacco is grown.

Tobacco from these farms is used in the production of popular cigarette brands, like Marlboro, Pall Mall and Newport.

Interviews with 141 child tobacco workers, between the ages of 7-to-17, revealed that nearly three quarters of the children had experienced nausea, headaches, vomiting and difficulty in breathing.

Looks like US labor laws allow gruesome medieval practices of child labor and corrupted US political system does everything to help increase profits of big coorporations such as Phillip Morris

when americans will wake up and realize what happening with human rights in their country?

**gaunty14** · September 18, 2014, 08:20 AM

That is unsettling....title is slightly misleading as their employed rather than slaves...but unsettling nonetheless. Have to wonder how the children came into the jobs? Did they do it behind the parents back and say its a paper round, did the parents organise the job, and do they know and not care?

**Roma_Victrix** · September 18, 2014, 08:38 AM

I remember watching a Daily Show with Jon Stewart segment about this:

Nicoteens

Sorry if the link doesn't work for you in whatever your country may happen to be, since it can only be watched in the US. I think there's another clip on the UK version of the site, though.

This is pretty atrocious; more people should be made aware of this, considering how child labor was ended in the 19th century when images of kids in coal mines led to national campaigns to put kids in school instead of in dangerous work environments. However, plenty of teenagers still have part-time jobs. I certainly did when I was a teenager. There's nothing wrong with that. However, this goes far and beyond that. Notice how most of the kids are black and Latino (i.e. brown Amerindian), so there is certainly a racial component to this.

**Phier** · September 18, 2014, 08:49 AM

You can always tell people who didn't grow up in farm country when they don't understand that kids actually work out there. Its the very reason you have summer "vacation" in schools, to go work on the farm.

Interviews with 141 child tobacco workers, between the ages of 7-to-17, revealed that nearly three quarters of the children had experienced nausea, headaches, vomiting and difficulty in breathing.

I had those as a kid too, its a rather vague description. I'm not saying its not a problem, but from what I can read they didn't do any tests to show nicotine poisoning it was just based on interviews. Being this test is a blood or urine test, its rather disappointing they didn't actually test for it. The rest of the hazards are simply normal farming hazards and yes it can be dangerous on the farm, probably not as dangerous as the city but thats open to debate

**sumskilz** · September 18, 2014, 11:27 AM

Originally Posted by Phier

I had those as a kid too, its a rather vague description. I'm not saying its not a problem, but from what I can read they didn't do any tests to show nicotine poisoning it was just based on interviews. Being this test is a blood or urine test, its rather disappointing they didn't actually test for it.

Oh another HRW report posted here based on the "well some people said they felt bad" methodology. Yeah could be a problem, but even testing a few kids would have held more sway than none at all.

**hellheaven1987** · September 18, 2014, 09:15 AM

Stop smoking and problem solves.

**Condottiere 40K** · September 18, 2014, 09:35 AM

Too much taxation involved on the government side, and probably too profitable on the corporate one.

**Emperor Arcturus Mengsk** · September 18, 2014, 10:21 AM

"Human Rights Watch Exposes"

Oh dear, whatever would we do if we didn't have the good folks over at HRW revealing the reality to us civilised folks.

Underage workers? I can't believe it!

**Sir Winston Churchill** · September 18, 2014, 10:56 AM

The problem isn't that they're underage, it's that laws have special conditions that allow them to.

Do children have a place working in a tobacco farm? Depends. Is handling the tobacco a hazard? Is that hazard avoidable? If yes and no, then let adults poison themselves.

**Stavroforos** · September 18, 2014, 02:10 PM

Oh no, kids in agriculture have to help their parents out. What a horrid concept.

**Gertrudius** · September 18, 2014, 03:11 PM

Next week many schools in my area start a two week break for potato harvest. THE HORROR.

**Condottiere 40K** · September 19, 2014, 08:18 AM

U.S. FARMERS ARE DITCHING TOBACCO FOR CHICK PEAS AS DEMAND FOR TOBACCO DECREASES AND DEMAND FOR HUMMUS SKYROCKETS

Hummus is conquering America. At least that’s what several farmers deep in the heart of tobacco country tend to believe. As tobacco sales are slowly decreasing due to regulation, lack of commercialization, and an overall focus on a healthier lifestyle, farmers are looking for a new crop to supplement their declining income.

Exit tobacco. Enter chick peas.

Hummus has been rapidly on the incline as a preferred condiment in the United States. It has become fashionable among celebrities such as Katy Perry and Justin Timberlake, and overall awareness is growing. No less than 26% of Americans say they have it in their refrigerators and 70% are familiar with the product. Consumer spending on hummus has reached $1 billion a year, after growing some 18% a year over the past five years *- six times faster than the overall growth of the American food market.

Google Trends has been helpful when it comes to mapping out its increase in public awareness. In January 2004, the health food had a search score of 26. As of August 2014, that score is at 88 with a peak in July of this year.

This trend has not been ignored by farmers and major corporations. U.S. Farmers planted a record 214,300 acres of chick peas in 2014.

http://mapachili.com/?p=773

**paleologos** · September 19, 2014, 10:17 AM

The article quotation in the OP does not make clear whether the children were assisting in their parents' farms or employed for money -even during school days- out of necessity.
This I would like to know.

The fact that three quarters of children labourers reported health problems associated with nicotine poisoning raises rightfull concerns.
The article quotation in the OP does not mention whether the problems occurred once a year per child labourer or were persistent throughout the year.
This would make the numbers statistically significant.

If the health problems were persistent, then denying the possibility of nicotine poisoning would simply expose the denier as an all-for-business apologist, given that protection should be afforded to all handlers of nicotine, regardless of age, not to mention a very comprehensive health insurance plan.

**Phier** · September 19, 2014, 01:30 PM

Originally Posted by paleologos

The fact that three quarters of children labourers reported health problems associated with nicotine poisoning raises rightfull concerns.
The article quotation in the OP does not mention whether the problems occurred once a year per child labourer or were persistent throughout the year.

I read the report, they didn't test. They just asked how they felt, which is far too vague and easy to lead.

"Have you ever felt like you might throw up while working."
"Do you ever have head aches while working"
etc

The symptoms would be the same for acute radiation poisoning, allergies, migraines, dehydration, and a myriad of other possible issues.

They didn't give a methodology but being the test is a simple pee in a cup test, I can't say I have a lot of faith in how HRW does business.

**the_mango55** · September 19, 2014, 04:42 PM

I grew up in the heart of tobacco country in North Carolina (well actually since it's in the mountains it's more like christmas tree country, but there were still a lot of tobacco farms, not so many now). Lots of my friends worked for the tobacco farmers, including myself, to make a few bucks.

And I can tell you from experience that I often felt nausia, headaches, dehydration, and difficulty breathing. Because it's FREAKING HOT in the summer during tobacco season in the South. I'm sure there are often problems with people getting nicotine exposure through skin contact, but we always wore gloves so it was never an issue.

**paleologos** · September 19, 2014, 05:29 PM

Originally Posted by Phier

I read the report, they didn't test. They just asked how they felt, which is far too vague and easy to lead.

"Have you ever felt like you might throw up while working."
"Do you ever have head aches while working"
etc
The symptoms would be the same for acute radiation poisoning, allergies, migraines, dehydration, and a myriad of other possible issues.

No disagreement there.
Does the article say that it was the HRW who made an explicit allegation of nicotine poisoning?
Or was it some journalist who jumped into the conclusion?

Originally Posted by Phier

They didn't give a methodology but being the test is a simple pee in a cup test, I can't say I have a lot of faith in how HRW does business.

One objection: HRW are no CDC. I am not at all surprised that themselves performed no test, they are not equipped for that, however, after the statistics came in, I believe, the CDC ought to be all over this case, if only to discredit the allegation.

Originally Posted by the_mango55

I grew up in the heart of tobacco country in North Carolina (well actually since it's in the mountains it's more like christmas tree country, but there were still a lot of tobacco farms, not so many now). Lots of my friends worked for the tobacco farmers, including myself, to make a few bucks.
And I can tell you from experience that I often felt nausia, headaches, dehydration, and difficulty breathing. Because it's FREAKING HOT in the summer during tobacco season in the South. I'm sure there are often problems with people getting nicotine exposure through skin contact, but we always wore gloves so it was never an issue.

So, there it is, gloves.
Does the article mention that the HRW asked, or omitted to ask the interviewees, whichever, whether protection was mandatory for tobacco leaf handlers?
I suppose -and there is a good risk to be wrong- that working under the conditions described above the effects of exposure to heat and sun are inevitable even from within a hazmat suit.