Bob writes:
> The POISON is placed ON the plant.( not IN the plant as with the neonicotinoids).

Bob, 
This is a very complicated issue and not one that can be reduced to opinions. Certainly not all pesticides are the same. Trying to get good information about the effects of the various substances is very difficult and time consuming. One of the main concerns of regulators, however, is human health. 

> The majority of foods purchased in supermarkets have detectable levels of pesticide residues. For instance, of several thousand samples of food, the overall assessment in 8 fruits and 12 vegetables is that 73% have pesticide residues. In five crops (apples, peaches, pears, strawberries, and celery) pesticide residues were found in 90% of the crops. Of interest is the fact that 37 different pesticides were detected in apples.

> Up to 5% of the foods tested in 1997 contained pesticide residues that were above the FDA tolerance levels. Although these foods violated the US tolerance of pesticide residues in foods, these foods were consumed by the public. This is because the food samples were analyzed after the foods were sold in the supermarkets.

Organophosphates, however, are in a class by themselves.

> In a California study, 40% of the children working in agricultural fields had blood cholinesterase levels below normal, a strong indication of organophosphate and carbamate pesticide poisoning. 

ENVIRONMENTAL AND ECONOMIC COSTS OF THE APPLICATION OF PESTICIDES PRIMARILY IN THE UNITED STATES
DAVID PIMENTEL College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853-0901, USA

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