Hazardous Child Labor in United States Tobacco Farming
The Human Rights Watch’s 138-page report documents conditions for children working on tobacco farms in four states where 90 % of US tobacco is grown: North Carolina, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Virginia. Children reported vomiting, nausea, headaches, and dizziness while working on tobacco farms, all symptoms consistent with acute nicotine poisoning. Many also said they worked long hours without overtime pay, often in extreme heat without shade or sufficient breaks, and wore no, or inadequate, protective gear.