Ripe's video: Ticking Time Bomb Cancer Lawsuits Mount for Monsanto Over Glyphosate

Glyphosate, the active ingredient in the weed killer Roundup, is facing an unprecedented test in the courtroom, with more than 11,200 people alleging in pending lawsuits that exposure to the chemical led to cancer or other injuries. At the same time, the chemical is facing a trial of public opinion amid rising concerns about its safety. The lawsuits and studies are prompting concerns among some parents and families about the chemical, which is used by farmers to control weed growth in their crops as well as by schools and municipalities in public spaces like school grounds and parks. Bayer, which bought Roundups maker Monsanto last year, so far has lost three high-profile court cases that claimed the chemical caused cancer. Glyphosate has been labeled as “possibly carcinogenic to humans” by the World Health Organization since 2015. It was labeled a known carcinogen in 2017 by California’s Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment. A new study, released Wednesday by the environmental group Center on Environmental Health, tested 12 families for glyphosate levels and found that 11 tested positive. Among 10 families, the children had higher levels of the chemical than their parents, the CEH said. Children may have higher levels of glyphosate than their parents because of their diets, such as eating more cereals and grains, as well as exposure via playgrounds and parks where Roundup is sprayed. The way glyphosate ends up in food products is that farmers who grow non-organic products use Roundup to kill weeds on their farms, then companies like General Mills buy contaminated food products from those farmers. Glyphosate has been at the center of several high-profile lawsuits alleging the chemical causes cancer. A California jury awarded a couple $2 billion in punitive damages after concluding that sustained exposure to Monsanto's popular Roundup weed killer led to their cancer diagnoses. A California judge on Thursday, however reduced the $2 billion jury verdict, slashing the award for the couple to $86.7 million. Superior Court Judge Winifred Smith of the California Superior Court in Oakland said the jury’s billion-dollar punitive damage awards were excessive and unconstitutional, however, she rejected Bayer’s request to strike the punitive award outright. Ripe is one of the first US media production companies dedicated to telling plant-based, vegan, and environmental stories. ​ ​We only produce original digital video content including TV series, documentaries, breaking & current news, and exclusive interviews with industry leaders. ​ It is our promise to provide you with informative, entertaining, and well produced content on all things plant-based, vegan and environmental. You can watch our shows, news, interviews, and documentaries directly on our website, Facebook and YouTube channel. We are 100% independently funded out of pocket with no big backers, angel investors, or secret sponsorship fees... ​With warm regards, ​The Ripe Team SUBSCRIBE HERE: https://www.youtube.com/ripewatch CHECK US OUT: Ripewatch.com FOLLOW RIPE: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ripewatch Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ripewatch Twitter: https://twitter.com/ripewatch