[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]

FW: Your Earth - Pesticides and Cancer (fwd)

Subject: Your Earth Column - Pesticides and Cancer

By Suzanne Elston (and forwarded with permission)

Your Earth ­ Friday, June 14th, 2002

Everybody knows somebody who has died prematurely from cancer. For my
family, it was our courageous young friend David. He died at the age of 11
after a 20-month battle with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Last week, I wrote
about the tragic death of Eric Krause, who was only 35 when he succumbed to
lymphoma. My husband also lost a good friend to lymphoma. My friend Linda
lost her niece to a brain tumor earlier this year, my son's teacher lost her
sister to breast cancer, as did my friend, Bev. The list is long and
terrifying and it rattles our fears that what we are doing to the
environment is connected to all this.

Last month, the London-based Doctors and Lawyers for Responsible Medicine
warned that cancer-causing chemicals are now the number one killer of
Europeans between the ages of 35 and 65, overtaking heart disease as public
health enemy No 1. According to Dr. Claude Reiss, official statistics from
the EU have confirmed that more than one million Europeans die prematurely
every year as a result of carcinogens in pesticides, pollution, cigarette
smoke and food additives.

In an address to the British House of Commons, Dr. Reiss said, "Among the
most dangerous chemical substances are the thousands of pesticide compounds
in use in the EU which pose an especially serious threat to human health."
(The Scotsman ­ May 15, 2002).

The news comes at a time when pesticide companies are furiously trying to do
damage control. Ever since the Supreme Court of Canada ruled that
municipalities have the right to restrict pesticide use, chemical companies
are furiously trying to hold on to their market share of the lawn care
market. In an all out public relations war, company representatives are
making presentations to local councils, writing opinion pieces and letters
to the editors of community newspapers and handing out materials about the
safety of lawn chemicals.

"They've taken on pro-environment names like the Ontario Environmental
Coalition, hired lobbyists, written letters, made presentations and packed
meetings," warned Alex Cullen, a member of the Ottawa City Council.
(Canada.com ­ May 26, 2002). Ottawa has joined other major Canadians cities
such as Vancouver, Halifax and Toronto that are moving to restrict the
cosmetic use of pesticides.

In response to the Ottawa initiative, Thom Bourne, the owner of a Nutri Lawn
company, blames consumers for misusing pesticide products and claims that as
far as health risks are concerned, it's a question of fact versus fiction.

"It's just the activists that are saying those things," he said. Bourne also
claims that since 1975, "Not a single known carcinogen has been used in
Canada." (Ottawa Sun ­ June 10, 2002).

Part of the problem in this country is that according to a 1995 study, 32 of
the 34 most widely used pesticides in Canada have never been tested for
environmental or health risks. (Vancouver Sun ­ June 3, 2002). Fortunately,
this is changing. The federal government has already phased out the use of
two popular pesticides ­ chlorpyrifos (sold as Dursban) and Diazinon. Both
are suspected to cause damage to the nervous system.

The fed's Pesticide Management Review Agency  (PMRA) is currently evaluating
one of the most popular of all lawn chemicals ­ 2,4-D. This follows a Health
Canada study that found that 2,4-D is transmitted through male sperm, into
the female egg, and if the egg is fertilized, the pesticide is passed on to
the developing fetus. Unfortunately, the exposure doesn't stop there.

"The umbilical chord is a pipeline straight into the developing fetuses
brain," said Dr. Warren Bell, president of the Canadian Association of
Physicians for the Environment. What is truly tragic is that we are
polluting the first and most sacred environment by chemicals that are used
almost exclusively for cosmetic reasons.

The womb is only the first environment of exposure - and potential danger  -
for our children. A recent U.S. national cancer study found that children
who live in homes where pesticides are used are six times more likely to
develop leukemia.

While government agencies and local municipalities sort out what can and
cannot be used, what pesticides cause cancer or damage the brain or nervous
system, there is a lot that individuals can do. Whenever possible, buy
organic. Wash or peel commercially grown produce. Eat lower on the food
chain (pesticides and other carcinogenic chemicals bio-accumulate up the
food chain). Don't use lawn and garden chemicals and encourage your
neighbors to do the same. Get involved. Attend council meetings and write
letters to the editor countering the claims of pesticide pushers.

WEBSITES OF THE WEEK:

Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment ­ www.cape.ca

Doctors and Lawyers for Responsible Medicine ­ www.dlrm.org



---------- End Forwarded Message ----------



Subject: Your Earth Column - Pesticides and Cancer

By Suzanne Elston (and forwarded with permission)

Your Earth ­ Friday, June 14th, 2002

Everybody knows somebody who has died prematurely from cancer. For my
family, it was our courageous young friend David. He died at the age of 11
after a 20-month battle with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Last week, I wrote
about the tragic death of Eric Krause, who was only 35 when he succumbed to
lymphoma. My husband also lost a good friend to lymphoma. My friend Linda
lost her niece to a brain tumor earlier this year, my son's teacher lost her
sister to breast cancer, as did my friend, Bev. The list is long and
terrifying and it rattles our fears that what we are doing to the
environment is connected to all this.

Last month, the London-based Doctors and Lawyers for Responsible Medicine
warned that cancer-causing chemicals are now the number one killer of
Europeans between the ages of 35 and 65, overtaking heart disease as public
health enemy No 1. According to Dr. Claude Reiss, official statistics from
the EU have confirmed that more than one million Europeans die prematurely
every year as a result of carcinogens in pesticides, pollution, cigarette
smoke and food additives.

In an address to the British House of Commons, Dr. Reiss said, "Among the
most dangerous chemical substances are the thousands of pesticide compounds
in use in the EU which pose an especially serious threat to human health."
(The Scotsman ­ May 15, 2002).

The news comes at a time when pesticide companies are furiously trying to do
damage control. Ever since the Supreme Court of Canada ruled that
municipalities have the right to restrict pesticide use, chemical companies
are furiously trying to hold on to their market share of the lawn care
market. In an all out public relations war, company representatives are
making presentations to local councils, writing opinion pieces and letters
to the editors of community newspapers and handing out materials about the
safety of lawn chemicals.

"They've taken on pro-environment names like the Ontario Environmental
Coalition, hired lobbyists, written letters, made presentations and packed
meetings," warned Alex Cullen, a member of the Ottawa City Council.
(Canada.com ­ May 26, 2002). Ottawa has joined other major Canadians cities
such as Vancouver, Halifax and Toronto that are moving to restrict the
cosmetic use of pesticides.

In response to the Ottawa initiative, Thom Bourne, the owner of a Nutri Lawn
company, blames consumers for misusing pesticide products and claims that as
far as health risks are concerned, it's a question of fact versus fiction.

"It's just the activists that are saying those things," he said. Bourne also
claims that since 1975, "Not a single known carcinogen has been used in
Canada." (Ottawa Sun ­ June 10, 2002).

Part of the problem in this country is that according to a 1995 study, 32 of
the 34 most widely used pesticides in Canada have never been tested for
environmental or health risks. (Vancouver Sun ­ June 3, 2002). Fortunately,
this is changing. The federal government has already phased out the use of
two popular pesticides ­ chlorpyrifos (sold as Dursban) and Diazinon. Both
are suspected to cause damage to the nervous system.

The fed's Pesticide Management Review Agency  (PMRA) is currently evaluating
one of the most popular of all lawn chemicals ­ 2,4-D. This follows a Health
Canada study that found that 2,4-D is transmitted through male sperm, into
the female egg, and if the egg is fertilized, the pesticide is passed on to
the developing fetus. Unfortunately, the exposure doesn't stop there.

"The umbilical chord is a pipeline straight into the developing fetuses
brain," said Dr. Warren Bell, president of the Canadian Association of
Physicians for the Environment. What is truly tragic is that we are
polluting the first and most sacred environment by chemicals that are used
almost exclusively for cosmetic reasons.

The womb is only the first environment of exposure - and potential danger  -
for our children. A recent U.S. national cancer study found that children
who live in homes where pesticides are used are six times more likely to
develop leukemia.

While government agencies and local municipalities sort out what can and
cannot be used, what pesticides cause cancer or damage the brain or nervous
system, there is a lot that individuals can do. Whenever possible, buy
organic. Wash or peel commercially grown produce. Eat lower on the food
chain (pesticides and other carcinogenic chemicals bio-accumulate up the
food chain). Don't use lawn and garden chemicals and encourage your
neighbors to do the same. Get involved. Attend council meetings and write
letters to the editor countering the claims of pesticide pushers.

WEBSITES OF THE WEEK:

Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment ­ www.cape.ca

Doctors and Lawyers for Responsible Medicine ­ www.dlrm.org

column.02.06.14.cancer

column.02.06.14.cancer


Main Menu:

Site Tools:


Here, spammer, have some addresses.