Paraquat is such a toxic herbicide that its use has been banned in more than 60 countries including the United Kingdom, China and Brazil. Assemblymember Laura Friedman, D-Burbank, wants to see California follow suit.
The herbicide is so poisonous that the EPA warns “one sip can kill” and exposure to it has been linked to elevated risk of Parkinson’s disease, non-Hodgkin lymphoma and childhood leukemia. A meta analysis of 13 scientific studies found that people exposed to paraquat are 1.64 times more likely to be diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, a debilitating brain disorder that progressively impairs people’s ability to move and speak.
That’s why Friedman introduced Assembly Bill 1963 on Wednesday, April 3, which would end the use of paraquat on fields and orchards in California by January 2026.