How to Sell a Poison

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In the 1940s, DDT was crucial for the Allies in World War II, eliminating malaria-carrying insects with little apparent harm to humans. However, post-war, it was indiscriminately used in agriculture, homes, and livestock facilities, leading to widespread environmental and human damage, especially in communities of color. The U.S. banned DDT thirty years later, only to reconsider its use in the 1990s amid rising concerns over West Nile and malaria. This narrative explores the complex history of DDT alongside the plight of a predominantly Black town affected by a nearby DDT plant. Historian Elena Conis presents evidence that the ban was less about changing public sentiment post-Silent Spring and more about the covert influences of Big Business. She emphasizes that the DDT crisis reflects a broader issue: the prioritization of profits over public health. Without a shift in approach, society risks repeating past mistakes, endangering vulnerable populations through both the denial of beneficial technologies and exposure to hazardous chemicals without consent. In a time when corporate and political interests often obscure truth, Conis advocates for transparency and a redefined communication of science, viewing it as an evolving discipline rather than a fixed set of facts, to rebuild public trust and safeguard health and the environment.