| Brain cancer risks increase with heavy exposure | | | | may take years to develop. Considering that |
| to pesticides, recent reports say. That's troubling | | | | agricultural pesticide use has skyrocketed over |
| news for states with large agricultural industries, | | | | the last several decades, the prevalence of brain |
| like Texas, which not only employs millions of legal | | | | cancer -- and that of other brain disorders linked |
| and illegal workers every year, but also has over | | | | with these pesticides -- may skyrocket in years |
| 25% of its population going without health | | | | to come. Such a surge has the potential to cripple |
| insurance. | | | | an already perilously strained state healthcare |
| French researcher, Dr. Isabelle Baldi, and colleagues | | | | system, especially when one-quarter of all |
| from the University of Bordeaux compared 221 | | | | residents are uninsured. And, if Baldi's preliminary |
| adult brain cancer patients with 442 | | | | findings on the cancer risk associated with |
| similarly-profiled members of the general | | | | household pesticide use proves correct, then |
| population without cancer. The study found that | | | | everyone, including residents of cities like Dallas, |
| "agricultural workers with the highest level of | | | | Houston, and Austin, is in danger. |
| exposure to pesticides (are) twice as likely to be | | | | Just the ripple effect in the healthcare system |
| diagnosed with brain cancer as those with no | | | | alone may be cause for alarm. If an already |
| occupational pesticide exposure." | | | | strained system administers the necessary, |
| Baldi's study focused on France's famous | | | | expensive, and time-consuming treatments for |
| Bordeaux region, which has one of the highest | | | | uninsured patients with brain cancer, along with |
| brain cancer rates in the world. Though she could | | | | treating the rest of the state -- with its usual high |
| not release specifics on which pesticides were | | | | rates of chronic diseases, such as diabetes, |
| used, the region, with its substantial vineyards, | | | | hypertension, and other cancers -- then those in |
| uses large quantities of fungicides. | | | | need of care throughout the state will feel the |
| According to an article released in the journal | | | | effects of limited resources. There are only so |
| Occupational and Environmental Medicine, gliomas, | | | | many doctors, nurses, and other healthcare |
| a type of tumor associated with brain cancer, are | | | | professionals to go around; there's only so much |
| three times as likely to occur in exposed workers | | | | public funding. Longer waiting periods alone for |
| as those with no pesticide work exposure. | | | | those with such serious diseases could prove |
| The study was also the first to produce | | | | deadly. And, unfortunately, this year has been a |
| statistically relevant data suggesting that those | | | | pivotal one for proving the ineffectiveness of our |
| who treated their houseplants with pesticides | | | | public system; the Commonwealth Fund |
| were at a higher risk for brain cancer as well. | | | | confirmed only last month that lack of health |
| Again, the cancer risk was approximately double, | | | | insurance is linked with poorer quality of care in |
| as compared with those who never used | | | | the United States. |
| pesticides. Baldi warned that further research was | | | | So what do we do? Limit unnecessary pesticide |
| needed to confirm this link, as no controls were in | | | | use, first of all, whether you're a farmer, |
| place for pesticide levels and reporting biases. | | | | agricultural worker, or a green-thumbed city |
| Previous research from other scholars found that | | | | dweller. Look for alternatives, which are easily |
| pesticide exposure among farmers was linked | | | | found in natural gardening and health food stores. |
| with adverse effects on the brain, including | | | | Write pesticide companies and your Congressional |
| Parkinson's disease. | | | | representatives; state your concerns and let |
| All this only fuels the debate over organic, versus | | | | them know that serous investigations at this point |
| conventionally-grown foods, which is as hot a | | | | are necessary. Information is the greatest chance |
| topic in Texas as anywhere else in the country. | | | | we have of protecting ourselves and our children. |
| Recent reports that the average conventional | | | | Though Baldi's study was performed in France, |
| crop is 13% lower in nutrient content than the | | | | many of the same, or similar, pesticides are used |
| same crop produced a few decades ago, also | | | | in several countries, including our own. If we figure |
| seems to add to the stack of evidence in favor | | | | out and cut off the dangers now, we may literally |
| of organic systems. | | | | be able to save thousands, or even millions, of |
| No one in Texas is immune to the risks these | | | | lives. |
| products pose. The state already experiences 13 | | | | Being concerned about environmental toxins is |
| fatal injuries for every 100,000 agricultural | | | | just one part of taking care of your health. How |
| workers, which is twice the rate of all workers in | | | | you take care of yourself will certainly affect you |
| Texas. Chronic diseases and cancer, however, | | | | as you age, and eventually your wallet, as well. |