The story of the American gardener who developed cancer after using the herbicides Roundup and Ranger Pro, made by Monsanto, has ended with a surprise verdict: a Californian judge has ordered the company, which recently came under the control of the multinational Bayer, to compensate the man with the record sum of $289 million. The verdict had been eagerly awaited by thousands of other people who in recent years have reported developing cancer after using herbicides containing glyphosate.

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Tom Watson @tom_watson

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American jury finds glyphosate causes cancer. It’s the most used agricultural chemical ever. This finding has huge implications for the food chain. dailymail.co.uk/health/article…

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The San Francisco court rules against Monsanto

The court of justice in the city of San Francisco ruled, after three days of deliberations, that the glyphosate present in Monsanto's products known as Roundup and Ranger Pro was the cause of Dewayne Johnson's illness. The man, who worked for over thirty years as a gardener at various public schools in California, had developed cancer of the lymphatic system. Johnson's lawyers argued that he had developed cancer as a result of the glyphosate contained in the herbicides the gardener used in the course of his work. In the past, the 46-year-old Johnson had shown signs of damage on his back and arms after using the herbicides, which were sprayed at least thirty times a year in the gardens where he was employed. Monsanto will now have to pay $39 million in compensatory damages and a further $250 million in punitive damages to the former gardener, who, according to doctors, may not survive beyond 2020.

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Other cases pending

The ruling in favour of Dewayne Johnson opens the door to thousands of similar lawsuits brought by people who developed cancer following the use of Monsanto's products, owned by Germany's Bayer. The glyphosate-based herbicides Roundup and Ranger Pro are the prime suspects in the illnesses. The California jury wrote that Monsanto "acted with malice, intimidating scientists who proclaimed the possible harm caused by glyphosate. Furthermore, it never disclosed to buyers the risks associated with the use of these herbicides." Lawyers for Monsanto–Bayer have announced they will appeal against the verdict. In the meantime, however, at least five thousand other cases involving victims are under review by the courts.