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Abigail Parmer

Ms. Layson

English 11B

28 March 2019

The Dark Side of the GMO

Are GMOs bad for you?

Just imagine yourself living in a cage where your only purpose in life is to produce more

or be slaughtered. You get injected with Genetically Modified Organisms that cause you to grow

bigger, and produce more than nature intended. Excruciating pain becomes your normal until

you cannot move anymore.​ ​Eventually you have so many chemicals being pumped into your

body that you will soon perish. Whenever mankind introduces foreign organisms into our

environment, the negative consequences far outweigh the positives.

So what is a GMO? A GMO or Genetically Modified Organism is a modified gene thats

structure is added to or taken away from. A process called gene splicing is the act of adding or

taking away specific genes in an original organism (Blanchfield). Gene modification has been

around for over a decade, altering certain characteristics in plants or crops for better growth,

quality, sustainability, and much more (Kuzma). Meat and poultry have also been genetically

modified. Animals are fed or injected with GMOs, in order for them to produce more. So if the

FDA has approved GMOs, and many of us consume GMOs every day, how is it harmful to us?

The FDA banned the use of red dye no. 3 in all cosmetic products in the 90’s, yet it is

used in our foods. Studies have shown that red dye no. 3 has caused cancer in laboratory

studies, yet Dr. Louis W. Sullivan says, “The actual risk posed by Red No. 3 is extremely small.”

(The New). These small risks eventually add up to bigger ones. The FDA has approved many

things that have had negative effects on human beings and animals (CNN). Many medications
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such as high blood pressure pills have been recalled due to certain cancer risks (FDA

Expands). The recall of 207 million eggs due to the risk of salmonella hit in 2018 (FDA Recalls).

So what are we really consuming in our food everyday? The answer is GMOs.

Many brands have chosen to label their products with “Non GMO” labels. These brands

use this non mandatory act to better sell their products and let people know what they are

putting into their body. Although the FDA has been encouraged to amend the Act of 1938, an

act that requires the FDA to oversee what companies are putting in their food and cosmetics

and approve them, they haven’t done so (DeGiovanni). In 2016, Barack Obama signed a bill

into law, that would end the dispute over labeling GMOs in our food. Now that the USDA has

finally gotten around to writing new regulations from this law, it has brought about much

controversy (Linnekin). Science hasn’t proven if GMOs are good or bad (Linnekin), so why have

they been approved?

Farmers have been genetically modifying their animals for over a decade. So what does

this mean for the animals? Feeding or injecting your animals with GMOs has been proven to

cause many issues such as, immune system problems, organ damage, gastrointestinal issues,

infertility, and speeding up aging (Smith). How will GMOs affect us if they impact animals to this

extent? They haven’t disproven that GMOs are safe to ingest (Linnekin). So how can GMOs be

safe for humans if they aren’t for animals?

People view GMOs in different ways. Many people see GMOs as a threat to our

civilization along with animals; but with increasing population and hunger on the rise many see it

as a great science to use to produce more food (Jefferson). With genetically modified food

comes more product, so does that mean prices will rise? The answer is no. Many companies

produce out more food but prices stay the same (Meyer). This means that there will be more

food produced at the same cost as food not produced with GMOs. Science is advancing all
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around us, and much of it is to our advantage. Scientists have been able to turn off and on

certain genes in foods. For example, they have increased the vitamin A in genetically

engineered grains, to combat the lack of vitamins in some of our foods. They can also yield

crops that resist drought, insects, and disease (Chien). These are all scientific advances that

have been to our advantage.

Whenever mankind introduces foreign organisms into our environment, the negative

consequences far outweigh the positives. The FDA approves many things that are harmful to

us, in this case it is GMOs. They oppose labeling, and don’t think about the negative

consequences that go along with things that change organisms the way nature intended. The

next time you see a bird flying in the sky or are eating a piece of pizza, know that not only you,

but everyone else is affected by genetically modified organisms. So the next time you are in the

grocery store, what will you choose?

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Works Cited

Chien, Shanley. "Genetically Modified Food Is Healthy." ​Global Sustainability​, edited by Dedria

Bryfonski, Greenhaven Press, 2016. Opposing Viewpoints. ​Opposing Viewpoints in

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http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/EJ3010988211/OVIC?u=lom_accessmich&sid=OVIC

&xid=30d8ac21. Accessed 26 Mar. 2019. Originally published as "GMOs: The Scarlet

Letters of the Grocery Aisle?" ​Medill Reports Chicago,​ 10 Mar. 2015.

DeGiovanni, Maria. "THE FUTURE OF GMO LABELING: HOW A NEW FEDERAL LABELING

SCHEME WILL ALTER PUBLIC DISCLOSURE." ​Washington University Law Review,​

vol. 95, no. 3, 2017, p. 705+. ​Opposing Viewpoints in Context,​

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"FDA approves GMO salmon, a first for the US food supply." ​Washingtonpost.com​, 19 Nov.

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id=d45e9d1b. Accessed 24 Mar. 2019.

"F.D.A. Limits Red Dye No. 3." ​New York Times,​ 30 Jan. 1990. ​Opposing Viewpoints in Context​,

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xid=31112371. Accessed 24 Mar. 2019.

"FDA recalls eggs on salmonella fears; Netflix reports strong first quarter."

Washingtonpost.com​, 16 Apr. 2018. ​Opposing Viewpoints in Context,​

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"Genetically modified organism." ​Environmental Encyclopedia,​ edited by Deirdre S. Blanchfield,

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Gale, 2011. ​Opposing Viewpoints in Context​,

http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/CV2644150611/OVIC?u=lom_accessmich&sid=OVIC

&xid=de69e32d. Accessed 22 Mar. 2019.

Jefferson, Valeria. "An Overview of the Genetically Modified Food Debate." ​Genetically

Engineered Foods​, edited by Nancy Harris, Greenhaven Press, 2003. At Issue.

Opposing Viewpoints in Context,​

http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/EJ3010259216/OVIC?u=lom_accessmich&sid=OVIC

&xid=6833bd23. Accessed 26 Mar. 2019. Originally published as "The Ethical Dilemma

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Kuzma, Jennifer. "Regulating: Gene-Edited Crops: Advocates of second-generation genetically

modified crops are making choices likely to trigger another round of public opposition."

Issues in Science and Technology​, vol. 35, no. 1, 2018, p. 80+. ​Opposing Viewpoints in

Context​,

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id=5ccc9f5e. Accessed 22 Mar. 2019.

Linnekin, Baylen. "A CRUMMY LAW LEADS TO CRUMMY GMO REGULATIONS." ​Reason,​

Oct. 2018, p. 8. ​Opposing Viewpoints in Context​,

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"The FDA again adds more drugs to its valsartan recall list." ​CNN Wire​, 25 Oct. 2018. ​Opposing

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id=6316b031. Accessed 24 Mar. 2019.

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Smith, Jeffrey M. "Genetically modified food introduces host of dangers." ​Hill,​ 11 May 2010, p.

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id=010268ff. Accessed 27 Mar. 2019.