An overview of the health risks associated with beedi rolling in India, a low-paying occupation with a substantial public health risk
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Abstract
The beedi industry is important in rural development because of its ability to provide potential employment possibilities to a vast number of people. Ambient monitoring found that the inspirable dust concentration in the tobacco factory was 150-fold greater than in the control environment, and was linked to chronic bronchitis in workers. The elevated amounts of cotinine, thioethers, promutagens, and direct acting mutagens in employees' urine indicated increased systemic exposure to tobacco ingredients. In tobacco processors' target and non-target cells, there was a considerable increase in chromosomal damage. Given the link between tobacco use and a variety of noncommunicable diseases, the current study's findings show an urgent need to reduce cigarette exposure among processors. Because the beedi industry is almost entirely unorganized, even government officials find it difficult to police the many legal requirements. Aside from the legal implications, the health risks that the female employees who roll the beedis suffer are tremendous. The purpose of this research is to look into the health risks faced by female beedi rollers in India.
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