To ban or not to ban......that is the question

Just stumbling all around the web today and came across a really interesting article on a seemingly dangerous chemical that made my hair stand up.  Luckily for us there are coalitions out there trying to get this substance banned.

Read below:

Dihydrogen monoxide:

• is called "hydroxyl acid", the substance is the major component of acid rain.
• contributes to the "greenhouse effect".
• may cause severe burns.
• is fatal if inhaled.
• contributes to the erosion of our natural landscape.
• accelerates corrosion and rusting of many metals.
• may cause electrical failures and decreased effectiveness of automobile brakes.
• has been found in excised tumors of terminal cancer patients.

Despite the danger, dihydrogen monoxide is often used:

• as an industrial solvent and coolant.
• in nuclear power plants.
• in the production of Styrofoam.
• as a fire retardant.
• in many forms of cruel animal research.
• in the distribution of pesticides. Even after washing, produce remains contaminated by this chemical.
• as an additive in certain "junk-foods" and other food products.

And some more information:

What is Dihydrogen Monoxide?

Dihydrogen Monoxide (DHMO) is a colorless and odorless chemical compound, also referred to by some as Dihydrogen Oxide, Hydrogen Hydroxide, Hydronium Hydroxide, or simply Hydric acid. Its basis is the highly reactive hydroxyl radical, a species shown to mutate DNA, denature proteins, disrupt cell membranes, and chemically alter critical neurotransmitters. The atomic components of DHMO are found in a number of caustic, explosive and poisonous compounds such as Sulfuric Acid, Nitroglycerine and Ethyl Alcohol.

Are you freaked out yet?

Here's a tad more:

Should I be concerned about Dihydrogen Monoxide?

Yes, you should be concerned about DHMO! Although the U.S. Government and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) do not classify Dihydrogen Monoxide as a toxic or carcinogenic substance (as it does with better known chemicals such as hydrochloric acid and benzene), DHMO is a constituent of many known toxic substances, diseases and disease-causing agents, environmental hazards and can even be lethal to humans in quantities as small as a thimbleful.

Research conducted by award-winning U.S. scientist Nathan Zohner concluded that roughly 86 percent of the population supports a ban on dihydrogen monoxide. Although his results are preliminary, Zohner believes people need to pay closer attention to the information presented to them regarding Dihydrogen Monoxide. He adds that if more people knew the truth about DHMO then studies like the one he conducted would not be necessary.

A similar study conducted by U.S. researchers Patrick K. McCluskey and Matthew Kulick also found that nearly 90 percent of the citizens participating in their study were willing to sign a petition to support an outright ban on the use of Dihydrogen Monoxide in the United States.


So how did something like this get swept under the rug for so long?  The truth - the truth is that this was a high school science experiment and became very famous due to the results it produced.  Every element on earth (and perhaps in space) has a chemical name and Dihydrogen Monoxide is the chemical name for water!  I was tricked the first time I read about this awful chemical too, I stopped just short of starting a campaign myself to get this guy off the streets.

So why is this on my blog?  Simple, it was a good lesson to teach ME to do my homework before jumping to any conclusions because there are a lot of people out there who will take advantage of the fact that we are not chemists and long complex chemical names instantly make us uncomfortable even if they are only talking about water.

I no longer believe everything I read, almost to a fault, but at least I sleep well at night knowing I did all I could to not be tricked by someone with an agenda.

Now go on you!  Pour yourself a nice cool glass of dihydrogen monoxide!

Ta
~CM

PS- I almost forgot, this hoax has such hype that there is a whole web site built just for it!  Can you believe that?!?

http://www.dhmo.org/