Controlling use of herbicides

Herbicides are chemicals used to kill vegetation such as weeds and other unwanted vegetation in order to increase agricultural production. However, their excessive use can lead to detrimental ecological and human health impacts such food and water poisoning which can induce or have been linked to illness, long-term disease and death. It is considered that pesticide licensing, handling and application need to be re-examined and controlled by properly enforced and monitored regulations.

A 1986 study by the National Cancer Institute and the University of Kansas has linked exposure to herbicides with nonHodgkins lymphoma, lymphatic cancers besides Hodgkins disease.

The study found that if farmers were exposed to herbicides 20 days a year or more, they were 600% more likely to contract lymphatic cancer than people who did not work with herbicides. The risk for farmers who came in actual contact, mixing or applying the chemicals, increased eightfold. Farmers who failed to use protective equipment such as gloves or masks while working with pesticides were 40% more likely to develop cancer than those who used protection.