Drinking Drugs? No? Sure?

Filed in archive Latin Food , Latin Issues , Latina Health on June 15, 2008

© Carly & Art



There has been a lot of talk lately about traces of drugs being found in our water: antibiotics, anti-depressants, birth control pills, seizure medication, cancer treatments, pain killers, tranquilizers... you get the idea.

Some scientists say it's no big deal because the concentrations are low.

But others are worried that we'll have trouble in the long run.

• Many of these drugs are endocrine disrupters... they interfere with hormone production.
  


• Antibiotics could cause disease-causing bacteria to become immune to treatment, meaning drug-resistant diseases could develop.
  


• The life cycles of several creatures, especially of aquatic life, will see even more effects than they have already.
  

There are several reports that elaborate on the details.

And now that there's more awareness, there's a more active dialog for testing our water and resolving the issue.

Think you're safe because you drink bottled water?

Even users of bottled water and home filtration systems don't necessarily avoid exposure. Bottlers, some of which simply repackage tap water, do not typically treat or test for pharmaceuticals, according to the industry's main trade group. The same goes for the makers of home filtration systems.

What do we do?

Keep talking about it-a lot. The squeaky wheel gets the oil.