Herbicides like glyphosate and 2,4-D are linked to mental health issues among youth, including attention control and memory learning problems. They are also associated with lowered cognitive function and increased depressive symptoms. Despite its link to non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, glyphosate remains the most used herbicide worldwide. To minimize exposure, one can buy organic, support local regenerative farms, grow personal produce, and avoid non-organic herbicides. Community advocacy for stricter herbicide regulation is crucial.
Herbicide Exposure – How It’s Affecting You
Transcript
We all know that exposure to herbicides could impact our overall health, but a study released in January is actually pointing to increased mental health issues amongst youth. So here’s what you need to know.
The study linked exposure to common herbicides like 2,4-D and glyphosate to a variety of behavioral health issues like attention control and memory learning problems within youth 11 to 17 years old. And this isn’t the first study to point to these types of issues. Other studies have linked exposure to lowered cognitive function scores and increased likelihood of severe depressive symptoms. Sounds a lot like what young people are experiencing today. Just imagine the implications that this could have for younger generations, like myself. We’ve grown up surrounded by these herbicides in our environment and in our food. There are approximately 1.6 million children and teens right now that are struggling with mental health disorders, and that number is just set to keep increasing.
So how are you being exposed in your daily life? We encounter glyphosate and 2,4-D in our food as a result of industrialized agriculture where it’s sprayed on a variety of crops. They’re also sprayed cosmetically for landscaping where pets, children, and adults alike can be exposed. Both have been linked to a variety of health issues, including cancer. In fact, there are currently hundreds of lawsuits against Bayer, who produces a glyphosate-based product. For this exact reason, it’s been linked to non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Despite this, glyphosate is still the most widely sprayed herbicide in the entire world. You would think that it would be removed from our shelves and from our food supply, but that just isn’t the case.
So what can you do? When possible, try to buy organic to avoid herbicides. I know it’s not always a possibility, but even trying our best here and there does make a difference. Try and find local regenerative farms that really care about our health and the planet by not spraying. You can join an organic community garden in the summer. You can even try growing your own fruits and vegetables in pots on your balcony or in your backyard. Make sure you don’t spray non-organic herbicides on your own property and use that as a reason to talk to your neighbors about their use. It’s really important to form community around these issues and ensure that you’re also helping to protect those around you.
It’s important to also demand stricter herbicide regulation from your local MPs and governments. They need to know how we feel about these issues, and they also need to make sure that they’re not spraying unnecessarily where children, pets, and of course, adults alike are being exposed.