Express News Service
NEW DELHI: Women bidi workers, who constitute the majority of the industry’s workforce, suffer from decreased fertility, increased frequency of miscarriages and higher risk of cervical cancer, according to the latest study. Not only that, their children are at higher risk of suffering from low birth weight and stunted growth, noted the study, conducted by The George Institute for Global Health and published in BMJ Global Health.
It observed that bidi workers and their families are exposed to harmful substances during bidi rolling, which jeopardises their health. Bidi, an indigenous smoking tobacco product made of tobacco flakes rolled in ‘tendu’ leaves and tied with a thread, is the most smoked product with 85 per cent market share. Most of the bidi rolling work is done by women from homes, which continuously exposes them to nicotine, tar, unburnt tobacco dust, and other toxic particles that pass through skin and throat.
The study found that while the pregnant bidi workers were at an increased risk of anaemia and pregnancy-induced hypertension, there was a higher frequency of neonatal deaths, stillbirths and premature births in comparison with non-bidi workers. The study said they have found evidence that across 14 Indian states, health hazards in bidi workers and their families show a very high prevalence of respiratory (52.5 per cent), musculoskeletal (87), gastrointestinal (70), neurological (60), skin (37) and other conditions across the organ system.
“Due to this unorganised nature of bidi work, there is lack of awareness on using safety measures such as wearing protective gears like masks and gloves, and washing hands, which leads to prolonged exposure to tobacco dust in bidi workers,” the study said. “It is essential to provide alternative livelihoods, and safe and protective working environment, and cover bidi workers under various social security provisions to alleviate the harmful effect of bidi making at home,” it said.
It is important to shift bidi-making away from home and strengthen existing regulations and promulgation of new provisions, including India’s Occupational Safety, Health, and Working Conditions Code 2020.Quoting another study, the authors said, “India reported the relative risk for all-cause mortality among bidi smokers was 64% higher as compared with never users of tobacco.
Bidi workers are known to be underpaid, with their wages not increasing substantially even though profits of the bidi industry have increased. The bidi industry is estimated to employ about 4.9 million people. It supports nearly 2.2 million people from the tribal Indian communities who are plucking and selling tendu leaves, predominantly in the unorganised sector.
Continuous exposure to nicotine, tar, tobacco dustMost of the bidi rolling work is done by women from homes, which continuously exposes them to nicotine, tar, unburnt tobacco dust, and other toxic particles that pass through skin and throat. Follow channel on WhatsApp
NEW DELHI: Women bidi workers, who constitute the majority of the industry’s workforce, suffer from decreased fertility, increased frequency of miscarriages and higher risk of cervical cancer, according to the latest study. Not only that, their children are at higher risk of suffering from low birth weight and stunted growth, noted the study, conducted by The George Institute for Global Health and published in BMJ Global Health.
It observed that bidi workers and their families are exposed to harmful substances during bidi rolling, which jeopardises their health. Bidi, an indigenous smoking tobacco product made of tobacco flakes rolled in ‘tendu’ leaves and tied with a thread, is the most smoked product with 85 per cent market share. Most of the bidi rolling work is done by women from homes, which continuously exposes them to nicotine, tar, unburnt tobacco dust, and other toxic particles that pass through skin and throat.
The study found that while the pregnant bidi workers were at an increased risk of anaemia and pregnancy-induced hypertension, there was a higher frequency of neonatal deaths, stillbirths and premature births in comparison with non-bidi workers. The study said they have found evidence that across 14 Indian states, health hazards in bidi workers and their families show a very high prevalence of respiratory (52.5 per cent), musculoskeletal (87), gastrointestinal (70), neurological (60), skin (37) and other conditions across the organ system.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });
“Due to this unorganised nature of bidi work, there is lack of awareness on using safety measures such as wearing protective gears like masks and gloves, and washing hands, which leads to prolonged exposure to tobacco dust in bidi workers,” the study said. “It is essential to provide alternative livelihoods, and safe and protective working environment, and cover bidi workers under various social security provisions to alleviate the harmful effect of bidi making at home,” it said.
It is important to shift bidi-making away from home and strengthen existing regulations and promulgation of new provisions, including India’s Occupational Safety, Health, and Working Conditions Code 2020.
Quoting another study, the authors said, “India reported the relative risk for all-cause mortality among bidi smokers was 64% higher as compared with never users of tobacco.
Bidi workers are known to be underpaid, with their wages not increasing substantially even though profits of the bidi industry have increased. The bidi industry is estimated to employ about 4.9 million people. It supports nearly 2.2 million people from the tribal Indian communities who are plucking and selling tendu leaves, predominantly in the unorganised sector.
Continuous exposure to nicotine, tar, tobacco dust
Most of the bidi rolling work is done by women from homes, which continuously exposes them to nicotine, tar, unburnt tobacco dust, and other toxic particles that pass through skin and throat.
Follow channel on WhatsApp
