The concept of immunity has led to farmers’ employing their
sons or hiring young people as pesticide applicators, as soon as
they are old enough to spray, in the belief that young men are
less susceptible to pesticide poisoning because they are younger
and stronger. In the same 1991 survey, 47 per cent did the
spraying themselves (farmers), whereas 41 per cent used family
labour, often their sons. The average age of hired pesticide
applicators was 25, ranging from 17 to 35. This may explain
findings on young males in farming communities facing an
abnormally higher risk of cardiac problems than older males
because they are generally the pesticide applicators