Unveiling the Truth: The Shocking Reality of the Newly Certified Weedkiller Class Action Lawsuit

Um was given a 20% chance to live two years.

Diagnosed with non Hodgkin's lymphoma at age 17, Jeffrey de Block didn't think he'd live to be 46 years old. He attributes his cancer to a summer farm job. Beginning at 14, he sprayed crops with the herbicide roundup, its key ingredient, glyphosate.

The product in its current form is just simple, not safe, and it's carcinogenic. And I really don't want to see other people going through what I've had to go through.

Glyphosate the most widely used herbicide in Canada. In 2015, the World Health Organization's cancer research arm found it probably carcinogenic to humans. About 165,000 claims have been filed in the US against Roundup's parent company, Bear, alleging illness, with at least five plaintiffs winning cases last year in Canada. A 2019 review found glyphosate unlikely to pose a human cancer risk, with use approved until 2032. Health Canada tells Global News its pest management regulatory agency monitors new research Canadians.

Are being used in a massive experiment.

But a former co chair of the agency's scientific advisory committee resigned, calling for a complete overhaul of pesticide regulation in Canada. Bruce Lanfear alleges Health Canada limited scientists'ability to ask questions and wouldn't let them examine a study looking at glyphosate levels present in Canadians'urine. The agency tells Global News no information related to safety was withheld from the committee.

I worried that my presence on this committee would give people the impression that I did think we were protecting Canadians.

This month, Baer removed glyphosate from all household products sold in the US, not agricultural. When Global News asked if they would do the same in Canada, the answer came back no. The company says the decision wasn't made because of any safety concerns, but solely to deal with the mountain of lawsuits.

It faces in that country.

I want to see my kids be able to go out and walk in that field.

Farmer Christopher Dermot is concerned about glyphosate's effects on soil biology and his family's health.

We are in the transition of phasing out. Glyphosate is my hope and dream. We have a nozle body, he says.

The natural herbicide he's using is effective, if more expensive. Roundup is so popular because it's cheap and it works. Bayer tells Global News it will vigorously defend Roundup safety, confident its products did not cause Jeffrey Dublock's cancer. Abigail Beeman, global News, Ottawa.