In a seemingly twisted turn of events, Colombia, known the world over as a center of illicit drug trade, will remove glyphosate chemicals from their coca crops – the raw material used to make cocaine. If the irony is lost on you, that means that while we here in the US can’t even count on eating a non-glyphosate coated apple or corn-chips, people who want to do lines of ‘glyphosate-free’ drugs can do so in Colombia.
As the BBC reports, glyphosate has been used in US-sponsored crop-spraying anti-narcotics programs in South America. President Manual Santos states that anti-narcotic officials will have until October of this year to find another method, aside from spraying glyphosate, to use with coca production.
Santos told reporters:
“I am going to ask the government officials in the National Drug Council at their next meeting to suspend glyphosate spraying of illicit cultivations . . . The recommendations and studies reviewed by the Ministry of Health show clearly that yes, this risk exists.”
Santos referenced the WHO determination on glyphosate being ‘probably carcinogenic.’
Santos also reiterated that Colombia will not “lower its guard” in combating drug trafficking even though they will no longer accept glyphosate spraying on its coca crops.
Ecuador and Peru are other countries that have used glyphosate to destroy coca fields.
Colombia is following the recent, similar decisions enacted by communities, nations, and retail stores. Recently, Bermuda has decided to suspend any importation of glyphosate/Roundup until further research give reason to lift the suspension. Similarly, Brazil’s public prosecutor has written the Brazil’s National Health Surveillance Agency (ANVISA) asking it to urgently re-evaluate their stance on the ‘likely carcinogenic’ herbicide ingredient, glyphosate.
Further, a German retails giant announced that it will no longer carry glyphosate-containing products as of September 30, 2015
While the illicit drug epidemic looms large in Colombia, the pharmaceutical mafia has its own illicit ways of promoting addiction and sickness, and you can bet Big Pharma is in bed with Big Biotech. Even the Colombians are telling US-based Monsanto “no more glyphosate!”
What does that say about the United States?
Additional Sources:
IBTimes
Image source: Reuters/Jose Miguel Gomez
Support natural health: checkout the new Natural Society Natural Health Clothing Line today and fund the message of organic living through our exclusive new designs!