About 30 years of research regarding non-Hodgkin lymphoma (cancer) and its correlation with occupational exposure to 80 agricultural pesticides and 21 chemical groups has linked glyphosate, the main ingredient in Monsanto’s Roundup, with cancer of the lymph tissue.
In a paper published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 44 papers representing studies in high-income countries found that there was a “striking increase” in the incidence of non-Hodgkin’s type lymphomas in the last 30 years.
The paper explains that farmers have high cancer rates, overall, and agrochemical exposure is likely the culprit, even among a group that normally has low across-the board mortality rates.
Among the pesticides studied, glyphosate exposure was found to be positively associated with a particular type of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma – called B cell lymphoma. This best-selling toxin distributed primarily by Monsanto is just the tip of the iceberg, as pointed out by Sayer Ji of GreenMedInfo.
The inactive ingredients in Roundup have also been found to be carcinogenic even in the parts per trillion range, so the study brings attention to a phenomenon which was already coming to light in the scientific community.
The fact is, human blood is not ‘Roundup Ready.‘ As mentioned, the ‘inactive’ ingredients in Roundup are just as harmful, making ‘RoundUp Ready’ chemicals a toxic blood-venom none of us can ignore. The background context of one study are described:
“Today, the dissemination of glyphosate in the environment increases, and humans are permanently exposed to its action. Worst case scenario provides even ten-fold increase of using a glyphosate in the following years [32].
Considering the widespread and frequent use of glyphosate throughout in world, thus the current risk assessment is important because the exposure will concern not only the users of the preparations containing glyphosate, but also those who do not have direct contact with that herbicide.”
As these chemicals are used in a slap-dash cocktail, understudied, and haphazardly applied to our crops, it is no wonder that different types of cancers are showing up in the populations most closely tied to their use – such as with farmers, their families, and even children who go to schools or playgrounds near fields that are sprayed.
Lymphomas are a special type of cancer that attack the immune system. It would only be logical that pesticides and herbicides which also attack a plant’s immune system would be adverse to our own. That they are also creating organisms that are immune to the toxicity of these concoctions should be alarming. When cancer cells are stronger than our own healthy cells, perhaps the agencies allowing GM crops to exist will finally listen.
Thank you Christina for focusing ongoing on this accelerating train wreck and how we each contribute to and must address the problem of environmental contamination which ends up in our bodies. I am a recently retired Sustainable CSA farmer growing vegetables for local food banks — forced to retire 2 years ago due to multiple, complex cancers. I have been self-treating through a complex array of herbs, barks, roots, flowers, berries, essential oils and key supplements for almost 2 years now, and have learned much. De-constructing how I could find myself in this position has taught me one thing: the concept of “co-existing” alongside GMO’s and conventionally sprayed crops is a specious concept. I rented and farmed through totally sustainable practices, a 2-acre corner plot outside a tiny village in SW WA, which is surrounded by conventional grass and Christmas tree farms. What I have learned is that even the limited exposure (wind + flood plain drainage above) that I received during my year-round, 12-hour days outside, was enough to tip the scale. I appreciate you pointing out that the harm caused by Round-Up (+ other ag chemicals such as atrazine which is outlawed in Europe and NA except on Christmas Tree farms) is calculated in the ppb, parts per billion. The vast majority of Americans are ignorant about the things which matter most in their life, and Education is the only answer to arm the next generation of people for survivability on this, our One Planet.
You and your efforts are so important, Christina. Thank you for doing more than your fair share.