Did you know that there are millions of small children working in the tobacco fields? These tobacco leaves are then processed and used in the making of cigarettes. As per the studies, all the tobacco used by the 4 world’s top cigarette producers, are grown by kids as small as 12 years in the fields. And sadly, there have been no such laws and strict rules yet made by the government’s end.

Why is the condition so poor, and what is the reason which forces the children to get into this work?

Child Labour in Tobacco Industry

Well, tobacco leaves are mostly grown in the field by farmers and their family members. Due to poor finances, it’s the children who take up the responsibility of the job and gets along with the parents for help. Most of the places have a similar condition, which makes the kids as small as 12 years to join this business.

The continuous exposure to the tobacco creates many health issues too. Many of the kids have reported issues like nausea, vomiting, dizziness, and also headaches with working in the fields for long hours. It is not good for any child’s life. how to stop child labour in your city.

Now, let’s see how one state handled the issue in the right way. 

While most of the countries suffered from this child labor, and the government not taking strict actions for this – Brazil stood apart from all of them.

Brazil is the 3rd largest tobacco producer in the world, but they dealt with the child labor strictly resulting in many positive changes.

If there is child labor, then both the farmer as well as the brand buying tobacco leaves from them are at fault. This is the simple rules that Brazil followed for their people and farmers working.

In the year 2008, Brazil banned the tobacco work for anyone less than 18 years of age. If any child younger than this limit is found working, then not only the farmer but the industry for whom they are working will get the penalties. This resulted in less number of child labor within some time, which is so awesome thing, isn’t it?

Also, the farmers were made aware of the ill-effects of working in the tobacco industry and making the children work along with them. It is still not completely eradicated from Brazil, but surely there is a reduction in the number of children in this industry.

We can hope that other countries like Zimbabwe, the United States, Europe, and others take the inspiration from Brazil and brings more positive change in the industry.