'Bidi workers prone to miscarriages, infertility'

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.

- KAVITA BAJELI-DATT 

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.