Residents of Hawaii’s Big Island are complaining of nausea, headaches, and fatigue and some are pointing fingers at the federal government.
For nearly a decade, Drug Enforcement Agency-coordinated marijuana eradication efforts have targeted Hawaii Island, often spraying a glyphosate-based herbicide from low-flying helicopters over suspected marijuana patches. Recently, however, some residents are claiming that the pesticide, a chemical weed-killer similar to “Round Up,” is killing wildlife and making some citizens sick.
“You can actually taste it in your mouth,” said Roger Christie of the Hawaii Hemp Council, who alleges that diesel fuel is occasionally mixed with the pesticide. Christie claims that gusts of wind disperse the pesticide to outlying communities, where it collects in rainwater catchments. Rooftop catchments are a common source of residents’ drinking water.
“In the last two weeks, hundreds of people have come to me with their complaints and said that’s why I’m feeling this way too,” said Ka’u resident Susan Smith in an interview with KGMB-TV earlier this month. “[Law enforcement] are flying over my house every other day. … It’s like a war zone out here.”
“[Glyphosate] can do a lot of damage to our bio-diversity,” said Noah Berry, vice president of EcoLaw Institute Inc., an Oklahoma organization that works to strengthen environmental laws. Berry cited a 1995 Journal of Pesticide Reform report that said glyphosate exposure was the third most commonly reported pesticide illness among agricultural workers in California.
DEA spokesman Sidney Hayakawa acknowledged the residents’ concern and noted that the spraying procedure is currently under evaluation. He told KGMB-TV that the agency will issue an updated Environmental Impact Statement next year.
Lenny Terlip of the state Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) told NORML that claims of glyphosate harming the environment and endangering the health of residents were “erroneous.” He denied reports that the herbicide was mixed with any additives and said that the sprayings were not being conducted near houses or residential areas. The helicopter-mounted spray-guns have “pin-point accuracy,” he added.
For now, however, the battle rages on and many residents remain unconvinced. This is an example of “law enforcement run amuck,” claimed environmental activist and resident Jerry Rothstein, who recently attended a town meeting where numerous residents complained of health complications such as eye irritation, itchy throats, and bronchial problems due to spraying. Photographs on display at the meeting documented orange-sprayed foliage in forests and yards as well as dead bird carcasses. “From the response of the Ka’u community, th[ese] latest aerial herbicide attack[s] appear to be among the worst yet,” noted Rothstein.
“Why do we have to wait [until] five years from now [for an answer?]” asked Smith. “Why do we have to wait … till they tell us, okay, it’s toxic and now it’s outlawed?”
Currently, only one other state, South Dakota, engages in aerial herbicide spraying.
For more information, please contact either Roger Christie of the Hawaii Hemp Council at (808) 961-0488 or Jerry Rothstein at (808) 329-1568. Additional information is available from Paul Armentano of NORML at (202) 483-5500.