By Richard Tardif
A CTV news story reporting on a controversial weed-killing chemical found in several popular food products in Canada made the social media rounds this month, and while the story drew its share of online opinions, I cannot help but think, “What the heck are us health journalists reporting?”
The focus of the story was around 18 common food items reported to have been tested for glyphosate, the active ingredient of a chemical herbicide sold under the name Roundup and found in many agricultural and gardening products. The study, this one commissioned by advocacy group Environmental Defence Canada, a controversial group – a given – was to inform the general public that many foods contain glyphosate, a chemical linked to Cancer. EDC was not the only group to commission a study.
All but four of the foods tested did not contain glyphosate, according to the article. The levels detected were in parts per billion, a minute amount that’s far below the levels deemed safe by Health Canada.Indeed, a Health Canada re-examination of glyphosate in April 2017, concluded that, “Glyphosate is not genotoxic and is unlikely to pose a human cancer risk.”
It’s perfect timing for such a story. In September 2018, a California jury ordered the Monsanto company, producers of Roundup, to pay $289 million in damages to a man dying of cancer, which he says was caused by his repeated exposure to large quantities of Roundup and other glyphosate-based weed killers while working as a school groundskeeper.
Why write a health story? Why write a health story when we know glyphosateis the most studied herbicide in history? We know all the science says it is safe. For decades, studies are finding less than 1000 parts per billion, yet as one commenter posted, “People have no problem consuming 16,000,000 parts per billion of a known carcinogen when they drink wine.”
Environmental Defence Canada, with a very official government type name, is an activist group known for alarming the public, and ignoring the facts. The highest amount of glyphosate found was 760 ppb which is below Health Canada’s standard for oat products at 15,000 ppb. A small child eating 100 grams of the cereal would consume 0.076 milligrams of glyphosate. This is a non-issue.
But it is health news. We need to report.
People have this intrinsic need, call it an instinct, if you will, to understand what is occurring within their experience. Many journalism scholars have referred to this need as being aware of events we cannot see for ourselves, entreating a sense of control, and a sense of security. Mitchell Stephens in his 1988 book, History of News; From the Drum to the Satellite called it “a hunger for human awareness.”
We can share opinions, judge for ourselves, because what we write about says something about our worldview, our fears, values and desires. That’s why we write health stories, any story.
Glyphosate? “There’s nothing to worry about here, folks, move along.”
Richard Tardif is a personal fitness trainer, health & fitness author, speaker and an award-winning journalist. Richard’s first book Stop the Denial: A Case for Embracing the Truth about Fitness, challenges, surprises, and inspires you to embrace a fitness lifestyle that will work in achieving your individual goals.
