Pesticides and Health: Myths vs. Realities

Year in and year out, agricultural pesticides have been the subject of considerable fear-mongering, leaving the typical consumer with the impression that these chemicals taint much of our food supply and are harmful to human health. In fact, just the opposite is closer to the truth. The published scholarly literature has failed to turn up evidence of adverse human health effects from use of modern pesticides in the real world. Furthermore, in light of the current economic perturbations, as well as the progressive severity of worldwide food shortages and the resulting malnutrition and spiking prices of basic food commodities, the claims that these pesticides pose a threat to human health are false, misleading — and dangerously irresponsible. In Pesticides and Health: Myths vs. Realities, environmental toxologist Allan S. Felsot explains the real benefits — both health-related and economical — of an informed use of pesticides.