After years of exposure to the herbicide glyphosate at work and later developing Parkinson’s disease, a former Colombian anti-drug police officer has filed for euthanasia. In the 1990s, Gilberto Avila took part in several operations that involved spraying coca fields with the herbicide. The policeman and colleagues had guarded the fields while the chemical was spread over the plants by helicopter or plane. They were sprayed with it.
In 2009, Avila was diagnosed with Parkinson’s. There is a “high probability” that the glyphosate caused his illness, the 59-year-old said. Two of his colleagues also contracted the disease. Avila passed away in the middle of the country on Monday.
Man was finally completely paralyzed
“I don’t want glyphosate to keep killing lives like mine,” Avila said in a video last week announcing his decision to request euthanasia. In the end, he was almost completely paralyzed.
“I bathed in the chemical for over fifteen years, and worst of all, I inhaled the substance that gave me a reward years later,” said the former uniform, who served more than 20 years.
In 2009 he was finally diagnosed with Parkinson’s. “It is known worldwide that some chemicals cause Parkinson’s. Two in 10 people exposed to the chemical can get it, the rest can’t because they are genetically stronger,” he said.
According to scientific studies, long-term exposure to glyphosate is a risk factor for developing Parkinson’s disease. Colombia stopped spraying drug crops with glyphosate in 2015 on suspicion that glyphosate would be harmful to the environment and human health.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
