"Should GMO foods be banned in the United States"

"Should GMO foods be banned in the United States"

Should GMO foods be banned in the United s? Introduction GMOs refer to bacteria, animals, as well as plants that tend be engineered either for research that is scientific or production through agricultural ways. Genetically modified organisms may have can be termed as health hazards in a number of ways. The harmful health effects caused by GMOs depend on the organism under modification, as well as the purpose for which researchers intend with the organism. Over the years, scholars and various entities have engaged in numerous debates regarding the negative impacts of GMOs on the health of human beings, as well as the environment (Schapiro 97). While some people support the consumption of GMOs, others are in total disagreement over consumption of GMOs. I will argue against the consumption of GMOs. In this regard, I will support the argument that GMOs should be banned in the United States. Discussion Based on numerous studies that have been conducted, the modification and consumption of GMOs poses immense health hazards, which surpass the benefits derived from these organisms. In most of the developed nations, GMOs are not considered as safe; most countries all over the world have also restricted the consumption of genetically modified foods by their citizens. Therefore, the United States should also follow suit and illegalise the consumption of GMOs (Zarrilli 45). Although the United States government has approved the consumption of GMOs based on several studies, most American citizens have refused to accept these organisms. This should be a wake-up call to the government and other concerned authorities who should ban the use of GMOs in the United States. It is apparent that most American citizens wish that manufacturers label GMOs. The purpose of doing so is to ensure that Americans know what they are purchasing so that they do not buy GMOs (Edelstein 118). Those who support the banning of GMOs in the United States cite a number of reasons why the government should prohibit the consumption of these foods. One of the reasons why GMOs should be banned is because they have high toxic levels. When humans consume natural foods, the probability of getting toxins from these foods can be termed as lower than when they consume genetically modified foods. When exotic genes are inserted in plants, there is a high possibility that these plants will become more toxic than they would be without the genes. As a result, the high levels of toxins can be harmful to the health of human beings. Since inserting a gene into a plant alters its production of toxins, humans will most likely suffer adverse effects when they take genetically modified organisms (Colgan 128). GMOs have high toxic levels since new genes have an impact on the metabolic pathway, which is a precursor to the production of high amounts of toxins. The other reason why genetically modified foods should be banned is because they lead to food allergies. In the United States, food allergy can be regarded as one of the most significant health threats that the government should fight. Genetically modified foods cause allergy when there is stimulation of an immune response by a harmless protein entering the body. This means that when the protein in the GMO emanates from an allergy causing source, there is a high possibility that some immune responses may take place in the human body. The allergic reactions from the consumption of GMOs form a strong basis upon which the United States ought to ban these foods (Garte 229). The other reason why the United States should ban the consumption of GMOs is because they have lower nutritional content than traditional forms of food. The value of nutrients derived from the consumption of GMOs tends to be lower than when a person consumes natural foods. There are limited nutrients that can be found in GMOs and the little it is may be difficult to digest (Lee 20). The nutritional value of a plant declines when there is injection of a gene inside the plant. With limited amounts of nutrients being produced by GMOs, there is a possibility that humans may suffer from cancer and heart disease. This is because the nutrients absent in GMOs can be helpful when it comes to preventing or curing these diseases. As such, GMOs can result to harmful health impacts, which may incapacitate individuals during later stages of their lives (Devlieghere et. al. 224). Apart from the impacts that GMOs have on human health, they also affect the environment in numerous ways. Since the advent of GMOs, the use of herbicides has increased considerably. This emanates from the fact that most of the GMOs produced have the ultimate aim of ensuring that crops can tolerate herbicides (Pollack and Gregory 116). The increased use of herbicides has resulted to environmental pollution; as the air is spoilt by harmful herbicides. The manufacture of GMOs has also led to the emergence of super weeds, which become a nuisance to farmers since they redu