Why Are Children Working in American Tobacco Fields?

[tifa]

Comments

[tabaqui]

Absolutely fucking revolting.

[nicosian]

This, for a "luxury" product to boot. (not that making it a food crop would be better at all. Not in the least).

There's something fundamentally screwed up when people lobby for laws allowing for children to work 60 hour weeks in fields.

[tifa]

Honestly, I don't understand what kind of person you'd have to be to wanna vie for that.

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.

[xsingmeanything]

I was actively working towards quitting, with the goal being next Monday. I think I just bumped that up to whenever I finish this last pack (so probably tomorrow).I'm absolutely horrified at my own (unknowing...but still) participation in this.

[234_am]

I aim to quit in the new year. I tried last year but failed.

I'm using E-cigarettes with nicotine drops to try this time. Ever tried them?

[cinnamontoast]

Ecigs and personal vaporizers are the best. I quit on July 4th and haven't looked back. I still have a half pack of analog cigarettes sitting on my desk from that day. I can't imagine smoking them. I smoked for 36 years and tried quitting multiple times. I finished with nicotine in October.

Just an FYI - Ecigs are complex. Go to an e-cig forum to get good advice about what sort of vaping equipment you buy. Or check out a local vape shop. It seems to work much better for folks than the disposables. If you have any questions, leave a message on my journal! :)

[paksenarrion2]

Just want to wish you the best of luck. Kicking the cigarette addiction isn't easy (I've never smoked but my Mom smoked for 40 years before a broken hip and 2 months in the hospital/rehab sort of forced her to quit-and we asked her to not start again when she got home. She said the cravings were horrible but the fact that she couldn't probably helped). She stayed smoke free for 15 years until she passed away three years ago.

{{{strong}}}

[oncloud999]

This is disgusting. The whole industry... I can't.

[shortsweetcynic]

But no one tracks these kids, and growers aren’t anxious to discuss the topic. When I reached out to the Tobacco Growers Association of North Carolina, they first wanted an assurance that I would convey a “positive message”; when I declined that condition, I didn’t hear back.