W.H.O. Report Links Ingredient in Roundup to Cancer

The world’s most widely-used weed killer can “probably” cause cancer, the World Health Organization said on Friday.

The organization’s cancer arm, the International Agency for Research on Cancer, said glyphosate, the active ingredient in the Monsanto herbicide Roundup, was “classified as probably carcinogenic to humans.” It also said there was “limited evidence” that glyphosate was carcinogenic in humans for non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

W.H.O. Report Links Ingredient in Roundup to Cancer

This article was dated late yesterday so I was surprised to not find the article using the search tool here on ATS. I know a lot has been said with regard to the subject o Monsanto's Glyphosate I think that the WHO is moving against the accepted official notion that glyphosate is safe for human consumption. That might just be a game changer mainly due to the fact that the international attention will not allow this news item easily die at the end of a 24 hour news cycle as most news of this sort so often does.

a reply to: machineintelligence

They've probably known this for a long time. Monsanto buys government and media protection though. If the WHO is finally making a statement against it, it has to be because it's a lot more than "probably related" and more along the lines of "responsible for 45% of cancers".

a reply to: machineintelligence

Cancer, yeah, but no weeds! (heavy sarcasm).

a reply to: Aazadan

Only 45%??

a reply to: Ultralight

Also it poisons the plants near by so things like millions of Monarch Butterflies die in a day. No biggie just species dying out because the government was bought off to allow this poison into our food chain.

a reply to: machineintelligence

The decision was made by IARC, the France-based cancer research arm of the World Health Organization.

The new classification is aimed mainly at industrial use of glyphosate. Its use by home gardeners is not considered a risk.

Monsanto, which produces the glyphosate-containing herbicide, Roundup, strongly disagreed with the decision. "All labeled uses of glyphosate are safe for human health," said Phil Miller, a Monsanto spokesman, in a statement.

www.usnews.com...

It would be nice if they banned it completely. It almost sounds like they are mainly doing this to protect the agricultural workers but its just fine for home growers.

a reply to: machineintelligence

It is about freaking time!

This has been known for a long time, honestly, the amount of "scientific evidence" that has proven the "safety" of this toxic poison is one of the main reasons I have such a distrust for the "scientific community"

Take for example this often cited "independent" and "unbiased" peer reviewed sourced website by the name of sciencebasedmedicine.org and see what they have to say about the ever safe Gyphosate!

Glyphosate The New Boogieman!

Therefore, it is concluded that the use of Roundup herbicide does not result in adverse effects on development, reproduction, or endocrine systems in humans and other mammals. For purposes of risk assessment, no-observed-adverse-effect levels (NOAELs) were identified for all subchronic, chronic, developmental, and reproduction studies with glyphosate, AMPA, and POEA.

Boy oh boy the WHO, who have dropped the ball many, many, times almost to the point of appearing to be purposefully ignoring the dangers of some of our widespread practices better watch out, the may have just bitten the hand that feeds!

a reply to: machineintelligence

You shouldn't eat weed killer, not only does it taste like #, it is really bad for you.

55% (just made that up...) of all chemicals will cause cancer if ingested in quanties...

The last time I looked there is 500 million pounds of the stuff sprayed each year in the USA.. Or was that 500 billion... ? Either way I would prefer it not in my drinking water or in the food I ingest.

a reply to: jackjoedoe

No worries you do not have to go through the process of eating it when you can simply drink it down from your local water source!!

Oh and we better not forget about the air and rain!

Ah I am sure it is fine!

Plenty of "scientific" studies to help you sleep well!

originally posted by: Ultralight
a reply to: Aazadan

Only 45%??

Had to leave some room for cigarettes.

a reply to: elementalgrove

So you are saying we are practically soaked in the stuff? Is that about right in your view?

It's almost amusing...

In theory it is a child"s logic level. "if it kills things living it's not good for the food chain somewhere down the line"

who wouldn't expect this?

a reply to: machineintelligence

Not just my view -Economical and Environmental effects of Pesticides primarily in America

2.1. ACUTE POISONINGS
Human pesticide poisonings and illnesses are clearly the highest price paid
for all pesticide use. The total number of pesticide poisonings in the United
States is estimated to be 300 000 year)1 (EPA, 1992). Worldwide, the
application of 3 million metric tons of pesticides results in more than 26
million cases of non-fatal pesticide poisonings (Richter, 2002). Of all the
pesticide poisonings, about 3 million cases are hospitalized and there are
approximately 220 000 fatalities and about 750 000 chronic illnesses every
year (Hart and Pimentel, 2002).

Put simply yes! That is just Acute poisonings, read on to Cancer and other chronic effects!!

Now not to leave it on a pessimistic note, our bodies are quite miraculous and when taken care of you can do much to counter the toxic environment we find ourselves in!

Begin with organic everything!!

originally posted by: criticalhit
It's almost amusing...

In theory it is a child"s logic level. "if it kills things living it's not good for the food chain somewhere down the line"

who wouldn't expect this?

How true this statement is good sir!

However child's logic goes flying out the window in the face of decades worth of psychologically programmed propaganda sumed up with one phrase "Better Living with Chemistry" thank you Dupont!

One would imagine that the sad state of affairs amongst most Americans health would be proof enough of the destructive application of this pseudo-science, yet people will continue to trumpet the "People are living longer than ever" A more correct statement would be "People are living longer and sicker than ever, all while paying for it"

originally posted by: elementalgrove
a reply to: machineintelligence

Not just my view -Economical and Environmental effects of Pesticides primarily in America

2.1. ACUTE POISONINGS
Human pesticide poisonings and illnesses are clearly the highest price paid
for all pesticide use. The total number of pesticide poisonings in the United
States is estimated to be 300 000 year)1 (EPA, 1992). Worldwide, the
application of 3 million metric tons of pesticides results in more than 26
million cases of non-fatal pesticide poisonings (Richter, 2002). Of all the
pesticide poisonings, about 3 million cases are hospitalized and there are
approximately 220 000 fatalities and about 750 000 chronic illnesses every
year (Hart and Pimentel, 2002).

Put simply yes! That is just Acute poisonings, read on to Cancer and other chronic effects!!

Now not to leave it on a pessimistic note, our bodies are quite miraculous and when taken care of you can do much to counter the toxic environment we find ourselves in!

Begin with organic everything!!

220,000 fatalities yearly?! Wow! I'm not saying they're lying but that's huge. I guess they'd use the same arguments they use for tobacco & alcohol to avoid liability if this is true.

I'd seen links between Roundup & Autism as well as other things, but I hadn't looked into the sources well enough to know if it's true. But the fatalities should be prosecutable, especially since the US bullies or flat out lies to a lot of smaller countries to get them to adopt our GMO's and "Roundup Ready" GMO crops. (Like Guatemala & El Salvador)

originally posted by: enlightenedservant

originally posted by: elementalgrove

220,000 fatalities yearly?! Wow! I'm not saying they're lying but that's huge. I guess they'd use the same arguments they use for tobacco & alcohol to avoid liability if this is true.

I'd seen links between Roundup & Autism as well as other things, but I hadn't looked into the sources well enough to know if it's true. But the fatalities should be prosecutable, especially since the US bullies or flat out lies to a lot of smaller countries to get them to adopt our GMO's and "Roundup Ready" GMO crops. (Like Guatemala & El Salvador)

Well considering that it is out of 3 million hospitalized cases worldwide, that figure really is not that hard to believe.

Some information on the Author David Pimentel

Dr. David Pimentel received his Ph.D. from Cornell University and had postdoctoral research scholarships at Oxford University (England), the University of Chicago, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology. After serving four years as Director of a U.S. Public Health Service Tropical Research Laboratory in Puerto Rico, Pimentel returned to Cornell to join the faculty of the Department of Entomology and Limnology. There he developed the first course in general ecology and now teaches a course in environmental policy. He holds a joint appointment in the Department of Entomology and the Section of Ecology and Systematics (now the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology) and is a member of the Graduate Fields of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Entomology, and Natural Resources. Nationally, Pimentel has served in the Office of the President and as Chairman of the Environmental Studies Board in the National Academy of Sciences. He is currently a professor in the Department of Entomology, Systematics, and Ecology at Cornell University.

Also a link to his Cornell page!

I am thinking the guy knows what he is talking about, plus he appears to have written quite a few papers!

a reply to: elementalgrove

No no, i'm not doubting you. I just think that if that many deaths can be verifiably linked to Roundup, the debate of using "Roundup Ready GMOs" should be over. It's like today's version of asbestos but possibly worse because you literally can't get away from Roundup or its residue.

And with so many countries & municipalities already banning GMOs/frankenfoods, this type of study should be the final nail in the coffin. If any politician cares at all about the public, they should be citing these studies constantly. Remember, many places won't even allow the labeling of GMOs in their foods, and this poison is being fed to our kids.

(Disclaimer: I'm linking GMOs to Roundup mostly because of the "Roundup Ready" crop seeds Monsanto sells. I know GMOs are far more diverse & many have nothing to do with Monsanto or Roundup, so many would still be allowed. But our entire industrial farming system would have to be revamped, b/c Roundup is used everywhere, and "Roundup Ready" crops are so abundant.)

a reply to: machineintelligence

But there's a small army of technocrats saying it's safe. Where have I heard this song before....?

a reply to: InverseLookingGlass
I am hopeful because over and over markets are driving the bus. Governments and technocrats are losing ground because they under perform.