"There is no scientific evidence yet that says food laced with neonicotinoids will harm humans, but why is the EPA allowing systemic pesticides on food plants in the first place?"

The folks that panic at the thought of systemic insecticides are plainly not well informed. Natural insecticides occur in many food plants, including most culinary herbs and spices. 

There are many potentially harmful or toxic chemicals present in the food we eat, whether occurring naturally, as contaminants, or as deliberate additives. But these chemicals are not necessarily harmful in small amounts; the effects they have depend upon the amounts that we consume.

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Peter -

A thought provoking comment on the subject.  You are correct that our environment contains many poisons that we are exposed to regularly and we continue to survive.  It seems that we have successfully learned to limit our exposure to these substances.  If we had not, we would not be surviving.  If we volitionally change the concentration of substances we know to be poisonous we will learn when we reach lethal levels.  We will begin to die.  (me thinks... CCD?)

It is true that these poisonous substances naturally exist in the environment, but we have the ability to unnaturally increase the concentration.  It is possible that this change will have no effect.  It is possible that the effect will be positive by eliminating or limiting harmful organisms.  Yet the possibility exists that we may cause harm to humans.  

The only way we have to know the consequences of concentrating these substance for certain is to wait and see.  The possible consequences may be serious.  With this in mind, it would be wise for us to move with care.  

You are right that the effect these substances in question have depends on the amount we consume.  But how do we know what concentration is harmful?  That is a difficult yet important question.

Larry Krengel

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