3 min read
The Cigarette and the Miner: Smoking in the Most Dangerous Profession
Mining is one of the most dangerous professions—and miners smoke at elevated rates. The cigarette is a coping mechanism for danger, a connector in the close community underground, and a habit that compounds the occupational risks of mining.
Underground mining is dangerous, physically demanding, and psychologically taxing. Smoking rates among miners are elevated. **The cigarette is a coping mechanism—and a compounding risk: smoking multiplies the respiratory and cardiovascular risks of mining. The miner who smokes is in double jeopardy: the occupational hazards of mining plus the behavioral hazards of smoking. Addressing smoking in this population requires addressing the conditions that make the cigarette essential.**
