Last month, the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment stated that glyphosate, the main herbicide in Monsanto’s weed killer Roundup, has been added to the State of California’s list of carcinogenic chemicals. Due to this classification, all containers of Roundup must include a warning label to alert consumers that it is known to cause cancer in compliance with Proposition 65.
Monsanto’s Questionable Attempts to Fight the Warning Label
Monsanto executives argue that glyphosate is not carcinogenic and strongly disagree with the Prop 65 listing. However, the evidence is quickly stacking against them. Researchers outside of Monsanto’s company have been expressing concerns about glyphosate-containing products for decades. It was not until 2015 that the risks were finally recognized by a government organization when the World Health Organization stated the chemical was “…probably carcinogenic to humans.”
In January 2017, a California judge declared that Monsanto’s Roundup can be labeled with a cancer warning. In March 2017, a federal court unsealed Monsanto’s documents regarding safety and research practices, which led to accusations that Monsanto scientists ghostwrote a safety assessment portraying glyphosate in a positive light. These accusations were based on email correspondence between Monsanto executives and federal regulators. The documents also revealed disagreements within the Environmental Protection Agency regarding the safety of glyphosate.
After glyphosate was added to California’s list of carcinogenic chemicals, Monsanto also attempted to sue the State of California in an effort to block the Prop 65 listing but was unsuccessful.
Roundup And Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma Lawsuits
The decision to list glyphosate as a carcinogen in California was good news for over 800 Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma patients who have already filed suits. If you or a loved one has developed Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma (NHL) or Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL), and you believe Roundup, or some other glyphosate-containing product, is to blame, contact our office to speak with an attorney by calling 800-598-0314.
