Editor:

Thank you for the article in the June 5 Statesman regarding the over-use and dangers of antibiotics in factory farming. This is such an important issue for our state and our country at this time! Superbugs are real and are a direct result of the over-use of antibiotics on our factory farms, with antibiotics being given routinely to healthy livestock as a so-called preventive measure.Antibiotics are now a part of our country’s food chain. Last year over 2 million people in the United States had resistance to antibiotics that have been life-preserving in the recent past, with 23,000 of them dying due to increasing super bugs.

The Preventing Antibiotic Resistance Act is current legislation in the U.S. Senate to right this dangerous situation, with the Preservation of Antibiotics for Medical Treatment Act being the equivalent legislation in the House. This is an urgent plea from a concerned constituent asking Sen. Michael Bennet to fully and strongly support this legislation to get all antibiotics out of our food chain.

Suzann ThomasDenver

Bennet can help curb dangers of antibiotics

Editor:

In the June 5 Statesman, Drs. Moore and Harris addressed the very important, yet often hidden, issue of antibiotics in factory farms. Everything in moderation, right? Well, not in the case of the use of antibiotics on factory farms. While antibiotics are great, and I myself turn to them when sick, the large amount being given to animals on these farms are breeding dangerously strong bacteria which threaten everyone’s health. As the doctors mentioned, ignoring this issue is only making the problem worse and continuing to threaten the health and lives of Americans every day.

We need legislation to help correct this matter, and unfortunately the FDA has not done enough to regulate drugs in the meat industry. The American Medical Association, World Health Association and others take the threat of overuse of antibiotics in farms very seriously, so why doesn’t Congress? Sen. Michael Bennet needs to step up in support of the Preventing Antibiotic Resistance Act, which would stop the abuse of antibiotics on farms.

Grace KellnerDenver

Editor’s note: The Statesmen received several additional letters making identical arguments about the dangers of over-using antibiotics and calling for Sen. Michael Bennet to support the pending legislation.

The Statesman welcomes letters to the editor on topics related to politics and government in Colorado. Letters must be signed, should be kept under 600 words, and should include the writer’s hometown, phone number and email address, if available. Please send letters to info@coloradostatesman.com. Letters may be edited lightly for length, style and clarity.