Tobacco.org

• Malawi child tobacco workers exposed to nicotine 

Young tobacco pickers in this southern African country are exposed to "extremely high levels of nicotine poisoning," a London-based children's rights organization said in a report released Monday.

"As the tobacco industry continues to shift its production to developing countries, more vulnerable children are being exposed to these hazardous working conditions," said a report by Plan International. "It is estimated that over 78,000 children work on tobacco estates across Malawi, some up to 12 hours a day, many for less than 1.7 cents an hour and without protective clothing."

The report, entitled "Hard work, little pay and long hours," asserts that child laborers, some as young as five, suffer severe symptoms from absorbing "up to 54 milligrams a day of dissolved nicotine through their skin", the equivalent of an average of 50 cigarettes a day. . . .

Companies such as Philip Morris International said they do not own farms in Malawi, but they purchase tobacco from suppliers in the country.

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