JUDGE SAYS NO TO DRUG CROP SPRAY

A US-sponsored anti-narcotics campaign in Colombia has been dealt a serious
blow after a judge ruled to suspend the aerial spraying of drug crops
because of health and environmental concerns.

The crops are being sprayed with a glyphosate herbicide. However,
Colombia's Judge Gilberto Reyes has ruled that until more safety data on
the weed killer is produced all aerial spraying must stop.

According to Greenpeace, there are three forms of glyphosate used as
herbicides: glyphosate-isopropylammonium and glyphosate-sesquiodium, both
patented by US agricultural products giant Monsanto, and
glyphosate-trimesium, which is owned by Zeneca.

Leaders of Colombia's indigenous communities and environmentalists have
called for the cessation of spraying. The spraying, they claim, is
indiscriminate, killing normal crops as well as heroin poppies and coca
bushes. They also claim the glyphosate is poisoning drinking water and
causing skin rashes, vomiting and respiratory disorders in farmers whose
crops have been sprayed.

Glyphosate is the active ingredient in garden weed killers used around the
world.

The United Nations has called for an independent review to be carried out
into Colombia's spraying campaign.

Glyphosate is a broadspectrum herbicide that kills plants by inhibiting the
biochemical pathway and acting as a growth regulator at low concentrations.

A spokesperson for Monsanto said it was unable to comment on any issues
concerning the Colombia crop-spraying programme, as it does not discuss who
it does or does not have contracts with.