Gmos Should Be Banned

The article “Not in my fridge” by Jeffery M. Smith elaborately discussed the health hazards of genetically modified (GM) products. This article has opened my eyes and revealed my ignorance of how unmindful of what I have eaten for years. I was very alarmed by many of the things I have learned in this article. After learning the side-effect of GM food, I was certainly concerned for our health. Moreover, learning that the biotech company’s strong stand in advocate of GM products as well as the United States governments and the Food and Drug administration (FDA) cover up of serious safety issues of GM highly disturbed me.

The United States needs to ban deadly genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Maggie Cadwell has a very suitable explanation of what GMOs are. “Genetically modified organisms are plants or animals that have undergone a process where scientists alter their genes with DNA from different species of living organisms, bacteria, or viruses to get desired traits such as resistance to disease or tolerance of pesticides” (Cadwell). GMOs are destroying our food system and our human bodies. “People who eat GMOs have shown to have a higher risk of cancer, birth deformities, and tumors verses people who eat organically. GM crops and their associated herbicides can harm birds, insects, amphibians, marine ecosystems, and soil organisms. They reduce bio-diversity, pollute water resources, and are unsustainable. For example, GM crops are eliminating the habitat for monarch butterflies, whose populations are down 50% in the US. Roundup herbicide has been shown to cause birth defects in amphibians, embryonic deaths, and endocrine disruptions, not to mention organ damage in animals even at very low doses” (Smith). Several countries like Austria, Hungary, Greece, Japan, Luxembourg, France, Germany, including fifty-three other countries, have banned these life-threatening GMOs. Why have they done this? Each country has run trustworthy tests, experiments, and systematic tests on almost every Monsanto product. That is sixty reasons why we have to ban these products. The United States needs to ban

A GMO is a genetically modified organism that goes through the process of genetic engineering. This is when genes of one organism are extracted, altered, and then artificially placed into another organism to then grow. We typically see GMOs in the food we consume every day. These foods include fruits and vegetables, however the most common organisms that are genetically engineered include, corn, soy, and cotton. It is ultimately the unnatural cross breeding of plants, animals, bacteria, and virus genes (Non-GMO Project). But now why is there a debate for placing a label to notify consumers of GMOs in their foods? Do we know the potential harm that GMOs can cause? We have the right to know what we are putting into our bodies and what is found in our everyday foods.

GMOs should be banned and prohibited from being in the United States. Due to the GMO products not being labeled, people are consuming something that they thought was something different. People are buying things that they think are natural and fresh when they really could be infiltrated with chemicals and things to make them last longer. If America bans GMOs from being sold in the country, being produced in the country, and if Americans become more educated about the harms of GMOs, America can be a lot safer and not have as much unknown problems. People shouldn’t eat foods that are not natural, that can cause unknown problems. When something is being consumed, they should be allowed to know what they are eating. If thirty-six countries have already banned Genetically Modified Organisms, America should be the thirty-seventh country to do

GMO’s or Genetically Modified Food is one of the most controversial topics that have been studied and debated for over 40 years. Scientists on both sides of the spectrum claim that these modified foods are safe for consumption, but also some argue that these foods are toxic and very harmful to human life. GMO’s are genetically modified organisms that are created and added in a lab experiment where DNA are extracted from one gene and added to another plant or animal. This allows the genes to mix with the DNA to create a desired product. For example, bigger apples, larger oranges, taller animals, and plants that can survive the changing climate. GMOs are different from organic food and products because chemicals and DNA modification is not needed for these natural stuff.

For thousands of years, humans have been genetically enhancing other organisms through the process of selective breeding. Polls indicate alarm over the contamination of everyday foods. Americans are especially concerned about Genetically Modified Organisms. So, are they good or not? According to NewsELA, PRO/CON: Is it time to label GMO foods? GMO foods? Andrew Pollackmay's "Genetically Engineered Crops are Safe, Analysis Finds", and Janet Renee's "Benefits you get from a GMO" they talk about the merits and the demerits of GMO crops. GMOs are plant or animal products that have been reengineered in a lab. Scientists use the DNA of bacteria,

Many will argue that Genetically Modified Organisms(GMOs) are not safe for human consumption, however they are almost inevitable for our everyday food consumption. Some argue that the recent increase in gluten intolerance is caused by GMO foods (Argument against). Other state that the risk to humans by GMO’s is relatively small (The GMO”). The bottom line is what people put into their bodies is a personal choice and a person should be able to easily tell if a product has been genetically modified or not.

The American Academy Of Environmental Medicine have found out, Gmos also cause organ damage, gastrointestinal and immune system disorders. They also discovered the GMOs leave material behind that leads to long terms problems

Perhaps the most controversial element of the ongoing GMO debate involves the potential health risks to those that consume them. Dr.

Michelle Schoffro cook, PhD, DNM, Clinical Nutritionist. Michelle states that “according to research published in the Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology, Scientists found that the genetically-modified corn was linked to liver and kidney damage in animal” (Schoffro). In other words what Michelle is saying is that there is proof that GMOs could cause some damage to the animal’s organs. These so called GMOs are modified genetically so that they can produce their own pesticides and therefore they are immune to any plague. Studies show that some of those pesticides are toxic to humans. Some of those toxins are the Bt-toxin and Roundup Ready which are now found in corn, cotton and soybeans. These two pesticides have been linked to severe health risks. Studies conducted on animal have shown that GMOs can cause damage to their liver, kidney, and the male’s reproductive organ damage and spleen damage. This should make us wonder, if these modifications on the food have a drastic effect on animals, then we must assume the same thing could happen to us. In the same matter, now that these pesticides and toxins are built in the plants they cannot be washed off, which means that they are being consumed. This leads us to the conclusion that we are eating a food that could kill

While these are valid concerns, they are entirely wrong. According to the World Health Organization in 2005, “GM foods currently traded on the international market have passed risk assessments in several countries and are not likely to present risks for human health” (Novella). Many of those who are anti-GMO claim that GMOs are not safe because they do not know enough about them or they have heard far too many conflicting reports. While there are many reports that claim that GMOs are detrimental to the environment, the three agencies that oversee GM crops, the FDA, USDA, and EDA, have ruled that these crops do not pose any real threat. Since the beginning of the GM crop in 1996, there have been 2,497 approvals of the safety of GMOs in the environment and 1,129 of these approvals have been for the food safety of the products (Monsanto). This further disproves the claim that GMOs are unsafe for humans and the environment and reassures that there is no risk involved in either the consumption or the planting of GM

There are roughly sixty countries that require GMO labeling and they do not have the problem that the United States have. Some countries even go as far to ban GMOs and only let some in. They have to go through many processes and tests to examine the effects and quality of the plant and/or product. These countries have lower rates of GMO food purchases and their environment is much cleaner than the United States. Monsanto has always tried its hardest to prevent any law from passing to regulate and label their products. They have spent millions of dollars. They have also threatened to sue the states that have brought up the idea or bill the label. The public has protested and demanded labeling, they believe they have a right to know

Meanwhile, a growing body of evidence connects GMOs with health problems, environmental damage and violation of farmers’ and consumers’ rights.

Recently, there has been multiple studies regarding whether or not GMOs are safe for human and animal consumption, and the results are extremely negative (“5 Reasons NOT to Eat Genetically Modified Foods”). From these tests, researchers have found birth defects, sterility, organ damage, gastrointestinal disorder, gut rot, new allergies, accelerating aging, infertility and immune system disorder in rats (“Smith”, “5 Reasons NOT to Eat Genetically Modified Foods”). These tests are not only done on rats. Glyphosate, a substance in Roundup, caused “total cell death in human umbilical, embryo, and placental cells within twenty-four hours” (“5 Reasons NOT to Eat Genetically Modified Foods”). Therefore, Genetically Modified Organisms have been proven to be extremely dangerous to our health. Lastly, “After GMOs were introduced in 1966, the percentage of Americans with more than three chronic illnesses went from seven percent to thirteen percent in nine years” (“Smith”). Additionally, “food allergies skyrocketed, and disorders like autism, reproductive disorders, and digestive problems are on the rise” (“Smith”). Genetically Modified Organisms cause extreme damage on our bodies and should be banned.

Much of the public concern surrounding the safety of GMOs stems from the process of actually creating them. This is admittedly not a natural process, which is a surefire way to raise critic’s eyebrows in doubting their safety. However, there is no evidence that supports these myths. The Committee on Genetically Engineered Crops, The National Academy of Science, and the Board on Agriculture and Natural Recourses all agree after extensive testing and observation that there is no additional harm in the consumption of GMO food. The research conducted in animal studies, as well as chemical analysis of the crops, show no indication that GMOs are negatively affecting human health. The next allegation hurled at GMOs is that they may have