Source: NOLA.com
Thousands of children in Indonesia work in tobacco farms from the young age of 8 and many of them are exposed to tobacco poisoning, according to a 119 page report by Human Rights Watch.
Hundreds of children interviewed and surveyed by Human Rights Watch reported that they experienced vomiting blood, major headaches and dizziness — common symptoms of exposure to nicotine and toxic pesticides, causing brain damage and illness. These child laborers are most likely absorbing the poisons through their skins, reports HRW.
The International Labor Organization estimated that at least 1.5 million children work on farms in Indonesia, many of them starting at the age of eight and most of them before the age of twelve. Many of them work to help their families stay financially afloat and end up dropping out of school. Few tobacco companies that work with Indonesia’s farms commented on the issue, and some claimed their collaboration with ECLT in efforts to prevent child labor and to ensure children stay enrolled in schools.
Read full story at: NOLA.com