GMO Mosquitoes in Florida?...Oh, My!

As I was perusing Facebook last week, I noted on a friend’s wall the mention of “GMO Mosquitoes To Be Released in Florida Soon.” I was a bit alarmed, to say the least.

I did my research first, to make sure that what I had read had not been a hoax. You know how those things spread – it’s like the Telephone Game, and the moment you get the information, you have to wonder how much it’s actually changed from the original message. In any event, I did a little snooping, and was quite amazed by the results.

It appears that the company Oxitec, a pest eradication company located in the United Kingdom, has manufactured these bugs, for what they state is the sole purpose of saving money to local governments. As they are quick to point out, spraying aerially to eradicate mosquitoes costs approximately $400,000 yearly. To release an unknown number of modified mosquitoes into the environment costs about $200,000 to $300,000 yearly. Of course, it’s all about the money. But then again, it always was.

Oxitec representatives state that once their mosquitoes breed with wild Aedes aegypti (our very own mosquito), the GMO gene is passed on, which should decrease the population of wild mosquitoes over time. Apparently, GMO mosquitoes can only be killed off by the antibiotic tetracycline.

It boggles the mind to wonder what happens if one is bitten by a GMO mosquito, or what the offspring of said true superbugs could do to threaten wildlife and mankind. While Oxitec states that only male mosquitoes (and a “few” females) would be released, and that the true biters are the females, one has to wonder about what Oxitec views as “a few”. Ten? A hundred? A thousand? Too many for me…

Apparently, Oxitec secretly released these mosquitoes into the Cayman Islands, a few years back. When they released said bugs in Malaysia, the government and the public had been notified. The people of the Cayman Islands were not happy campers, to say the least. Oxitec’s argument was that these bugs were released to decrease the incidence of Dengue Fever, an illness that is mosquito borne. Dengue Fever has also been cited as the reason that Oxitec wishes to release these bugs in India and Brazil.

Nowhere has it been noted as to what the side effects are of being bitten by a GMO mosquito, or what these bugs will do to the food chain. As we have been taught in biology class, mosquitoes aid in the production of food, especially with the animal food chain. Wild mosquitoes, though annoying, are pollinators of both crops and plants, and without them, our very lives are in danger. One has to wonder, as well, what happens when these bugs go about stinging the public. Can our governments afford to aerially spray tetracycline? Can you imagine the price tag on that bill? And, come to think of it, what happens to all of the wild mosquitoes that are still present in Florida? They aren’t going to go away, which means that the risk of being bitten by a bug is twice as high in that area. Even more of a deterrent to the tourist business.

Thankfully, Oxitec has met with opposition in Florida. Opponents state that if released, it will severely damage the tourist population. The mosquitoes were proposed to be released in Key West, where dengue fever seems to be a real issue. However, the tourist council is concerned that if potential travelers hear about a release of GMO bugs in the area, it might cause a “no-go” mentality, which could seriously damage the area. Key West, while by and large a rather intimate community, relies heavily on its tourism.

While there are those who hail the efforts of companies for their genetically modified organisms, one has to wonder about what all of that alteration is doing to overall health. Food grown with GMO grows faster, tastes better, and yields better production. No studies have been done, however, to evaluate how this affects overall human and animal makeup.

Other things to consider with GMOs are the fact that some third world countries don’t have enough funding for GMO production, and without the use of GMOs, the food supply would be scarce. In other areas of the world, including here, there are individuals who may rely on their job at a factory that creates modified food in order to survive. There is also the issue of creating “superbugs”, which might be more difficult to eradicate. And there are many ethical issues here, as well, from a religious point of view. One has to wonder what accelerating growth of a food substance is doing on your own physique – are you aging at an accelerated rate, as well? The arguments are many, and the answers are few…and each side presents valid points that must clearly be weighed, before making any sound judgment about any substance or situation that involves GMO use and production.

What’s your stand? Are you for or against GMOs in your food? Are you proud of General Mills, who stated in a press release that soon, Cheerios will be non-GMO? Or Post Cereals, who recently stated that Grape Nuts will now be GMO free? Let me know…I’d be interested in finding out what you think!