pesticides, Marijuana, and EMF vs. Common Sense

Anyone who has been on this planet for any length of time with awareness has come to certain understandings. One such understanding is that politics and the policies which stem from them do not always reflect common sense, reality, or the will of The People. With the advent of social media communication, relevant topics are able to spread rapidly and activate large populations overnight. The days of believing in the integrity and rhetoric of a political leader are numbered. Taking the place of slick speeches and polished appearances are awake, aware, and mobilized communities fact checking campaign promises, poorly thought out policy, and leadership. 

Marijuana legalization and the health effects of genetically modified food are arguably two major topics of our time. In addition, another important area of focus that is gaining traction is the negative health effects of electromagnetic frequencies (EMF), especially on the fast-dividing cells of children. So what exactly do these three topics have in common? Corporate interests and poor oversight have descended upon the regulation of all three areas. Major inconsistencies continue to be witnessed and it appears solutions are an endangered species.

Laws and regulations governing many aspects of marijuana legalization are being set state by state. These laws all allow for dispensaries to be set a healthy distance away from children’s schools and other facilities. Arizona requires marijuana dispensaries to be set 1,500 feet away from K-12 schools. Oregon and Colorado both require 1,000 feet. Hawaii, who recently passed a medical marijuana dispensary bill, requires 750 feet away from schools. These requirements hold weight in the realm of common sense. Pot dispensaries and school children don’t mix.  

Contrast this with the ability of cell phone companies to place towers on school property. Sometimes placing cell towers directly on top of a school building. It should be noted that electromagnetic frequencies are labeled a class 2B carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer. Of further concern is that the current safety regulations for EMF were set by engineers and have little bearing in medical reality and new trends. The medical literature and real-time evidence of cancer clusters around EMF hot spots are showing clear correlations that can't be ignored. 

Perhaps the most ridiculous fact is that known hazaderous chemical pesticides and herbicides are able to be freely sprayed on fields directly next to schools. Furthermore, in the Hawaiian islands, who currently are the largest testing grounds in the United States for this chemical spraying, experimental chemicals are being used. This is an issue because when large swaths of children become sick during days of heavy spraying, no medical studies or safety information is available for exposure limits, protection, or recovery. 

A worker drives a tractor in a strawberry field across the street from the gym at Rio Mesa High School in Oxnard, in background. The school is surrounded by strawberry fields. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)

So to recap:

• EMF Towers on school property…Okay
• Unknown agricultural chemical spraying next to schools freely drifting…Okay
• Marijuana dispensary…750-1,500 feet from schools

​The magnitude of evidence and studies are available. The people and children have shown symptoms of exposure. Communities have continually reached out to their political representatives for help. Yet very little is changing. When children are put at risk by the criminally negligent practices of multinational corporations exploiting local regulations at the expense of a community’s health, can we really afford to still wait patiently? When petitions, letters, emails, and phone calls are met with little motivation to change, what choices do affected families have? Minus marching on local officials with pitchforks and torches, innovative solutions are needed and are required rapidly. Any citizen can put a city council member on legal notice if they refuse to remove EMF towers and pesticide spraying from in or around a school. The medical studies are clear and support this request. For school districts who have chosen to allow cell towers on school property, the payment trail can be tracked. Follow the money and see who specifically is receiving the paycheck. Cell companies offer two options; to be paid one lump sum or to receive a monthly payment. Tax dollars fund the schools which educate the community's children. No board member or politician has the power to decide to put a carcinogenic health hazard (EMF tower) next to your child while they receive their education. Please post your ideas on social media networks and voice them in your community. 

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