Monsanto 'bullied scientists' and hid weedkiller cancer risk, lawyer tells court

In the first trial regarding the link between Monsanto’s Roundup herbicide and cancer, a dying California man’s attorney told jurors that the chemical giant bullied scientists who found glyphosate to be dangerous. DeWayne Johnson, who used Roundup in his work as school groundskeeper, was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma in 2014. Monsanto’s lawyer says the plaintiffs aren’t giving the jurors the whole picture of the scientific findings on glyphosate. Read more at The Guardian …

A water apartheid

A climate professor who was born in Cape Town, South Africa, takes a look at the water crisis his hometown recently faced. As climate change worsens, however, Cape Town’s 4 million residents—and urban residents around the world—must find a way to hydrate increasing numbers of people in increasingly dry climates. Additionally, we must address water inequality, as people of wealth and privilege are less likely to suffer from water shortages than their poorer, less fortunate neighbors. Read more at The Washington Post …

How Brett Kavanaugh could reshape environmental law from the Supreme Court

Should Brett Kavanaugh become the next Supreme Court justice, replacing Anthony Kennedy, don’t expect him to uphold any precedents giving the Environmental Protection Agency the power to enact regulations to protect the environment. His written opinions show he would move the Supreme Court further right regarding federal regulations, some legal experts say. Read more at The New York Times …

Unfinished business: Keeping the focus on food safety

Foodborne illnesses continue to sicken and kill people, as we’ve seen in recent outbreaks in romaine lettuce and pre-cut melons. Although people working in food safety, the Food and Drug Administration and state governments are trying to ensure our food supply is safe, the issue doesn’t seem to be a priority in Washington, D.C., says Mike Taylor, a former FDA deputy commissioner. Read more at Food Safety News …

Here's why we must continue to study Kratom and other opioid-like drugs

Kratom could be a new pain treatment, but the Food and Drug Administration doesn’t want researchers a chance to find out. The move could force some Kratom users to begin or resume the use of opioid drugs, legal or not. Without adequate evidence of any danger, the FDA has limited imports of the product and asked the Drug Enforcement Agency to ban it. Read more in The Hill …