Are We Being Poisoned By Household Products ?

In our modern society, each of us comes into contact with hundreds of chemicals each day -- most of them in commonly used household products. Most of us know that it's prudent to watch how we use such chemicals as pesticides, but now there are scientists who believe that many things we have long viewed as safe, such as non-stick cookware, spill-resistant carpet, and flame retardant materials, may actually be poisoning us slowly.

The National Institute of Child Health and Human Development is planning a massive study to find out if we are being affected by the chemicals we routinely come in contact with. This study could cost as much as $2.5 billion and would take place over several years. They plan to follow more than 100,000 children [including children in 7 Texas counties] from birth to age 21.

The researchers would take blood samples from all the children periodally, and test the samples for chemicals. Dr. Leo Trasande, from the Center for Children's Health and the Enviornment at Mt. Sinai Hospital in New York, says, "This study is really our best hope to unlock the puzzle when it comes to the impact of chemicals on people's lives."

Many of these common chemicals were tested and declared safe for short-term use, but no one knows what effect they may have over a period of many years. This is especially true for children. Because they are still growing and developing, children are more easily affected by chemicals that an adult might be able to tolerate.

Dr. Trasande says, "They're [children] the ones that are most sensitive for so many reasons. Their organ systems are just developing. They ingest more and absorb more of many enviornmental chemicals, pound for pound. And we have a chronic disease epidemic among American children, currently, that is likely to be at least in part the result of the widespread enviornmental chemicals. Childhood cancers, asthma, developmental disabilities and birth defects affect an increasing number of American children. Unfortunately, children are canaries in the coal mines."

The federal government has already spent millions to develop and set parameters for the massive testing program. The actual program is slated to start next year. That is, it was slated to start next year until until President Bush cut the funds needed from his 2007 budget.

Bush is able to find the money to cut taxes for his rich buddies, and wage an unneccessary war in Iraq, but he can't seem to find the money to protect our children! Has this guy ever made a decision that made any sense?

Fortunately, with the Democrats running the House and Senate, maybe the $69 million needed for the program in 2007 can be restored. I certainly hope so.

We put our children, and ourselves, in contact with many chemicals every day. It is time to find out what the long-term effect of these chemicals are on our bodies and our health.