More Medfly Spraying

Jerome Marmorstein’s article (“Our Rights Get a Dose of Malathion,” California Commentary, Dec. 4) reaffirms, once again, the old adage that a little bit of knowledge is a dangerous thing. Like Dr. Marmorstein, I too am concerned about the public health and environmental effects of chemical pesticides. However, unlike Dr. Marmorstein, I have had the opportunity to study integrated pest management at UC Berkeley, to serve as past-president of the Assn. of Applied Insect Ecologists, and to travel to countries where the Medfly is well-established.

If we do not eradicate the Medfly each time that it is introduced to this state by a careless tourist, chemical pesticide use throughout California will dramatically increase. The increase will not be temporary, like the current aerial spraying, but will last for the rest of our lives. The area affected will not be localized, like it is now, but will include millions of acres and many cities.

I am not going to argue that malathion is 100% safe. But the dangers of localized, temporary malathion treatments are preferable to the permanent, widespread spraying that would occur, for the rest of our lives, if the Medfly were to be established.

LARRY CARMEAN

Fresno