Why Are Children Working in American Tobacco Fields?

[tifa]

Comments

I agree 110% that this is revolting.

[234_am]

...but is every single cigarette smoker in the world to blame for this? No. I am sorry, but I'm also very sick of hearing non-smokers complain about Big Tobacco while they eat GMOs and take pills. I can almost guarantee that the smokers I speak to about this article would be shocked and horrified that tobacco is harvested using child labor, especially considering that as smokers we know how harmful nicotine is; I've heard first hand, as my father harvested tobacco in the 60s in southern Ontario. Because the USA will not enforce their own beliefs some kids suffer and everyone hates the adults who chose to smoke tobacco that is harvested with of age workers.

TL;DR: OP is a non-smoker. I disagree using kids to harvest a practically illegal crop but seriously, stop the hate on smokers and focus on Big Tobacco. You can smoke tobacco without their fingers in your shit.

Re: I agree 110% that this is revolting.

[tifa]

I have my personal reasons for hating tobacco/cigs but I said I couldn't look at smokers the same after reading this, not that I hated smokers. I do strongly disagree with a smoker's choices to buy Big Tobacco products because they're paying for all of this. I get that there's a lot of shit people pay for where bad things happen-coffee, clothes (cotton), sugar, etc.-but what I don't understand is why people smoke when there aren't any health benefits. I don't think I ever will so that's up to the smoker. It's like looking at a slaughterhouse and wanting to become vegetarian; not exactly a feeling I could control.

Edit: Not to say I wouldn't hang out with smokers or be civil toward them. Just that I can't support their choices in this every time I see a cigarette in their hand.

I'd also like you to elaborate on "taking pills."

Re: I agree 110% that this is revolting.

[tifa]

Yeah, I was recently told it gives people the same mellow feeling without the high that weed gives but ...lung cancer~ x_x I mean I get it now and I agree, there should be way more regulation because clearly these tobacco companies don't care who's getting hurt.

Re: I agree 110% that this is revolting.

[peace_piper]

It was pretty shocking to me to find out that when i was part of a mental health group, that in between our classes, everyone but me would smoke, out of about 25-30 people. Then later, I took up a career path in the restaurant industry (very working class) and was shocked to find out I was the only one who wasn't a chain smoker.

Re: I agree 110% that this is revolting.

[soleiltropiques]

"I do strongly disagree with a smoker's choices to buy Big Tobacco products because they're paying for all of this. I get that there's a lot of shit people pay for where bad things happen-coffee, clothes (cotton), sugar, etc.-but what I don't understand is why people smoke when there aren't any health benefits. I don't think I ever will so that's up to the smoker. It's like looking at a slaughterhouse and wanting to become vegetarian; not exactly a feeling I could control

Re: I agree 110% that this is revolting.

[tifa]

Yeah, the addiction is definitely something I've observed in my own family but I don't know how people start and continue because, from what I hear, that stuff has a pretty harsh effect (on most). But I suppose the buzz/high(?) must feel really nice. But yes, thank you for the info :) It seems a lot of it is psychological too.

Re: I agree 110% that this is revolting.

[tifa]

That's incredible. You are incredibly strong to have gone through that and that's good that you're out of that.

Re: I agree 110% that this is revolting.

[spartanwerewolf]

It is immensely psychological. I started at 14, thinking (because I was 14 and knew everything)I wouldn't get addicated, and even if I did, I'd just quit once I was 18. I finally wound up quitting last October (age 25). The physical cravings were not nearly so rough as the psychological ones eg: having a cigarette when you first get up, or after a meal

Re: I agree 110% that this is revolting.

[moonshaz]

I actually get exactly what you're talking about, even though I'm not a smoker! People with certain kinds of eating disorders go through the exact same kind of cognitive dissonance with their cravings. I'm a binge eater, and I go through that all the time.

I could have almost written parts of that myself, substituting words such as "cookie" or "snack" for "cigarette." If I had a dollar for every time I've told myself, "well, one more ___ won't hurt," "another ___ can't hurt," etc., I would be obscenely wealthy by now!

That's the insidious thing about addiction, whether it be to a substance or a behavior (and I believe binge eating disorder is a combination of both)--your brain can perform the most amazing gymnastics to get what it craves.

If anyone can ever figure out how to turn off that switch in the brain that makes us crave certain things so much that we literally talk ourselves out of doing what we know is best for us, that will be a miracle!

Re: I agree 110% that this is revolting.

[kleios_kiss]

Ugh, you know what? I'm so sick of this. Have you ever suffered from addiction?

Stop demonizing addicts. Addiction is a mental disorder, and it's insanely difficult to live with. I feel proud of myself that after years of heroin addiction, I'm able to now solely smoke cigarettes. I'll stop eventually and I'm working towards it currently (using the patch), but after dealing with PTSD and insane, debilitating anxiety and depression for most of my life, as well as an indescribable and awful struggle with addiction against opiates, please stop your judgments and your blame. Addicts get enough of this shit from everyone else in society who doesn't recognize how incredibly frightening, debilitating and controlling addiction is. So unless you're also about to start telling people with OCD "ugh just stop flipping those light switches now that I know how the plastic for light switches is generated via human trafficking and child labor, I'll never look at you the same again," don't make the people already suffering and struggling the bad guy.

Re: I agree 110% that this is revolting.

[tifa]

No, you're right. I'm sorry. I've seen how debilitating it is in my own family and I completely forgot about it, mostly because the person was my deadbeat dad but he really did struggle with it. Not everyone gets as far as you have; it's a dark road to brave through. I'm really sorry and you're right. Big Tobacco and corporations are the only ones to blame because they're the abusers and I'm sorry I ever blamed the victim (smokers).

Re: I agree 110% that this is revolting.

[234_am]

I say "take pills" as a reference to North Americans/etc who support Big Pharma without second guessing or caring where their pills come from, as well as seeing nothing wrong with massive amounts of booze from Big Alcohol. In all honesty I was probably generalizing because I just do no see the rationale between the "health conscious" people and their anti-smoking brigades while they pop pills/drink booze/eat fast food etc. It is a lifestyle choice but I don't hear healthy-eating smokers (they exist!) complain about the smell when they see someone come out of McDonald's

[girly123]

I say "take pills" as a reference to North Americans/etc who support Big Pharma without second guessing or caring where their pills come from

Are you serious? The medicines that keep people alive aren't at all comparable to your legalized recreational drug use. Come on.