The Supreme Court has ruled in favor of Monsanto, the manufacturer of the herbicide Roundup, in a case involving a Missouri man who claimed the product caused his cancer. The court’s decision, written by Justice Brett Kavanaugh, stated that the federal government’s regulations on pesticide labeling preempted the state law claims made by the plaintiff, John Durnell.

Background on the Case

Durnell, who was known as the “spray man” in his St. Louis neighborhood for using Roundup in the parks around his home, was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma. He sued Monsanto, claiming that his exposure to the pesticide was to blame for his illness. A jury awarded him $1.25 million, but the decision was appealed by Monsanto.

The company argued that the federal government’s regulations on pesticide labeling, which do not require a cancer warning on Roundup, preempted the state law claims made by Durnell. The Supreme Court agreed, ruling that the federal regulations take precedence over state laws.

Implications of the Decision

The decision could have implications for thousands of other lawsuits that have been filed against Monsanto over its weedkiller. The company has maintained that the active ingredient in Roundup, glyphosate, does not cause cancer, and the EPA has never required cancer warnings on the product’s labeling.

Business groups, including the Chamber of Commerce, had warned that if the Supreme Court sided with Durnell, it would open other industries that are subject to similar federal requirements to lawsuits. The Trump administration had also urged the Supreme Court to take up the case and supported Monsanto’s argument.

Original reporting: KTVZ (Central Oregon) — read the source article.