Morgan Whisnant
September 7, 2012
During The Vietnam war, many
Vietnamese people were exposed to Agent Orange a defoliant used by the United
States. Decades later, the contaminant dioxin can still be found in the soil as
well as in the bodies of a small number of people. The Church of Scientology has come up with a method of detoxification including strenuous exercise,
sweating in a sauna, and taking vitamins and minerals. Although this treatment
has not been financially backed by the United States, the Vietnamese government
has accepted it, although it is not clear whether or not the Vietnamese
government knew whether or not the United States supported it before they
decided to. The United States is not funding this project, but last month began
a program to clean up soil where a U.S. air base was once located.
The problem with such a
treatment is that many are skeptical this can get rid of toxins such as dioxin
which can stay in the body for several years. Dr. Marcella L. Warner who
studies the long-term health effects of dioxin exposure says she does not
believe such a treatment will lower the dioxin levels in the body. In response, Karin Pouw, a spokeswoman for the
Church of Scientology, said it had been used “for more than three decades to handle
environmental toxins, exposure to pesticides and drug rehabilitation” and “it
has many applications”.
Though
no one will know until later if the program will be a success, I believe it was
wise of the United States not to back it. For one, the Church of Scientology is
just that- a church. True, if any church is offering a cure to something it
shouldn’t matter where it comes from, but this has not yet proven to be a cure.
Also, the action of the United States in starting up the soil cleanup was a
great alternative, but certainly could have happened much sooner.
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