A report highlights the alarming issue of child labour in tobacco farms worldwide.
Tobacco production is a multi-billion-dollar industry, but it comes with a devastating cost: the exploitation of children in hazardous environments. In over 125 countries, including Kenya, multinational companies have moved into less regulated areas, driving down production costs and increasing shareholder value. However, this comes at the expense of child labour, with thousands of minors working in conditions exposed to nicotine, toxic pesticides, and extreme heat.
Indonesia, the world's fifth-largest tobacco producer, is home to over 500,000 tobacco farms. Despite laws prohibiting children under 18 from performing hazardous work, thousands of minors are still employed in these farms. Research has shown that agriculture is one of the most dangerous industries, with the agricultural industry having the second-highest fatality rate among young workers in the United States.
Children as young as five start working on tobacco farms, preparing seedbeds, weeding fields, and spraying pesticides without protective gear. During harvesting, they are exposed to the risk of nicotine poisoning, which can cause severe health problems. A study by Plan International found that child workers in Malawi might absorb up to 54 milligrams of nicotine daily through the skin, equivalent to the nicotine contained in 50 cigarettes.
The low prices paid by manufacturers and plantation owners force farmers to grow more tobacco than they can manage, leading to the exploitation of children and relatives. Article 32 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child states that children may engage in work that is light and not hazardous. However, tobacco farming is far from that, and anyone under 18 should not be allowed to perform any task related to tobacco production.