Genetically Modified Organisms Argumentative Essay

How would you feel if I told you that the food you're eating was made in a science lab? Genetically modified organisms, or GMOs, are the outcome of a laboratory process where genes from the DNA of one species are extracted and artificially manipulated into the genes of an uncorrelated plant or animal. Crops are often genetically modified to be resistant to pesticides so farmers would be able to spray them without harming the crop itself. However, there are many consequences regarding consumers’ health and environmental problems. Many people question the safety of consuming genetically modified organisms. Companies should acknowledge that their product is genetically modified by placing a label on the product because customers have a right to know. Furthermore, there are several serious health complications that may rise to the consumer. And finally, genetically modifying organisms should be limited by being placed in a controlled environment to prevent contamination with other species because it can be harmful to the environment in several ways.
To begin with, the consumption of genetically modified organisms can lead to many health
problems, such as cancer. In Jon Entine’s article, he discusses an experiment that was done by Gilles Seralini who is a French scientist and has been a professor at University of Caen since 1991. Gilles Seralini has done experiments on his test subjects, mice, consuming NK603 which contains the same characteristics found in GM crops. The results of Gilles Seralini’s experiment, showed that after the consumption of NK603, the mice eventually had developed cancer. According to Morgan Chilson’s article, the tumor in the rats formed because the food that was given to them had been genetically modified and contained either herbicide or glyphosate. Herbicide and glyphosate are types of pesticide used to kill weeds. It’s very dangerous and can lead to serious consequences, as showed in Seralini’s experiment.
In addition, genetically modified crops are altered so they can be resistant to the pesticides.
By this, the farmers can freely spray pesticides on the GM crops without affecting them. However, when a human consumes a genetically modified crop, the consumer is also in taking the pesticide that was sprayed on it. Consuming the pesticide can be very harmful to the human's health. Based on Oliver Tickell’s article, pesticides such as herbicide and glyphosate, are known to disrupt the endocrine system. The endocrine system in the human has functions such as; hypothalamus, pituitary, thyroid, parathyroid, and reproductive organs. When a person is consuming GM crops and is pregnant, the consumer is also putting the unborn child at risk. Consuming GMO during pregnancy can put the fetus at risk of diseases. In Jeffrey Smith’s article, he
states
The fact that it flows through our blood supply, and that is passes through the placenta into fetuses, may help explain the rise in many disorders in the US since Bt crop varieties were first introduced in 1996.
The author is saying that the pesticide goes into the bloodstream affecting the fetus. The author also is implying that there has been an increase in the number of disorders, since the GM corn has been introduced. Consumption of GMO can harm both the mother and the fetus if consumed while pregnant.
Consuming GM Crops can also affect and alter the immune system. Based on Jeffrey Smith’s article, “In government-sponsored research in Italy, mice fed Monsanto's Bt corn (GM corn) showed a wide range of immune responses,” the experiment showed that the consumption of GM corn had affected the immune system of the mice. In the same article Jeffery Smith, also says “...the mice had an increase in cytokines, which are associated with allergic and inflammatory responses.” Allergic reactions happen when the immune system detects a harmful substance in the body and tries to get rid of it. In the article, since the mice was fed the GM corn the body recognized the GM corn as a harmful substance, which then resulted to allergic and inflammatory response. This is why the consumption of GMO has the potential to cause harm in one's body. If consumers are warned with a label saying that this product contains GMO, it may greatly decrease the problems because most people wouldn't consume the product if they were aware it was GMO.
Furthermore, genetically modified crops negatively affects the environment in numerous ways. One way GMOs affect the environment is by contaminating other crops through cross pollination. In Mike Barnett’s article, he brings up a problem that one organic farmer faced regarding GM crops. In his article, there was an organic farmer whose farm was contaminated through cross pollination by a nearby GM crop farm. Cross pollination is when the pollen from a plant is transferred to another plant by being carried by an insect or the wind. Based on the International Journal of Food Contamination, since 1997 there has been 396 incidents of GMO contamination, across 63 countries. In Mike Barnett’s article he also says, “GMO contamination is unavoidable and will happen no matter what through nature,” since GMO contamination is not preventable outdoors, GMO should be grown in a controlled environment such as indoors to prevent contamination.
In addition, to contaminating organic farms, when GM crops are cross pollinated with wild plants, superweeds are produced. Superweed is a hybrid plant that contains genes for being resistance to herbicide. In Mark Koba’s article he says, “Weeds are developing resistance to herbicides...and it's reportedly costing farmers $1 billion in lost crops.” These super weeds are not only harming the environment, but is also costing farmers because the farmers lose the crops. The pesticides are becoming less effective because the weeds are acquiring the same genes as