DOCTORS URGE CONGRESS, VOTE NO ON PESTICIDE
BILLMore than 200 physicians and other health professionals signed a letter urging Congress to continue to support America's protection of children from harmful pesticides.
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Subject: DOCTORS URGE CONGRESS, VOTE NO ON PESTICIDE BILL-----
Date: Thu, 07 Sep 2000 08:54:18 -0400
From: Stephen Tvedten <steve@getipm.com>
Organization: Get Set Inc. (www.getipm.com)
To: Paul Helliker <phelliker@cdpr.ca.gov>
Director, State of
California, Department of Pesticide Regulation
Dear Mr. Helliker,
I thought you might like to read an article from the Environment News
Service dated 9/7/00 entitled: DOCTORS URGE CONGRESS, VOTE NO ON PESTICIDE BILL
WASHINGTON, DC, September 6, 2000 (ENS) - More than 200
physicians and other health professionals signed a letter urging Congress to
continue to support America's protection of children from harmful pesticides.
The signers oppose "Regulatory Fairness and Openness Act" (HR 1592 or
S 1464), which they say would gut provisions of the Food Quality Protection Act
(FQPA) which authorize the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to protect
newborns and other children from pesticides. "These individuals, who have
no vote, need and deserve your protection," the letter reads. "At
crucial points during a child's development, pesticide exposure could have
lifelong adverse consequences, while the same exposure may have little or no
effect on an adult."
The letter, circulated by Physicians for Social
Responsibility (PSR), explains that children are more susceptible to harm from
pesticides because "pound for pound, children consume more food, drink more
water, and breathe more air than do adults." This means that their
developing systems may be exposed to massive doses of pesticides.
"Pesticides may cause cancer, affect brain development and interfere with
the hormone system," says Dr. Barry Johnson, former Assistant Surgeon
General and member of PSR's environment committee. "These bills would strip
children and infants of the protection from pesticide exposure afforded to them
in the FQPA." Robert Musil, Ph.D., executive director and CEO of PSR, said,
"Lawmakers who support this piece of legislation are doing worse than
letting an industry set public policy for the country. They are letting an
industry interfere with the health of our children, our most precious
asset."
Well Mr. Helliker, what more can I say about your
dangerous "registered" POISONS? When
will it be "legal" (in your opinion) to use unregistered food grade
and/or GRAS materials to safely and far more effectively control pest problems
in California?
Respectfully, Stephen L. Tvedten
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