Author/Editor		Budihna, Metka V
Title		Strupi in varovanje pred njimi
Translated title		Toxic substances and protection against them
Type		članek
Source		In: Lah A, editor. Kemizacija okolja in življenja - do katere meje? Projekt Evropskega leta varstva narave 1995. Ljubljana: Slovensko ekološko gibanje,
Publication year		1997
Volume		str. 20-31
Language		slo, eng
Abstract		A poison is any substance wich has a harmful effect on living system and whether we regard a substance as a poison or not may depend on its use. There are no safe chemicals, only safe ways of using them. The industrial revolution that has resulted in a high standard of living has based on the appropriate use of chemicals. On the other hand, the unrestricted sale and use of chemicals has resulted in many new problems. Large numbers of people were increasingly coming into contact with toxic materials and had little understanding and no control of the consequences on such exposure. Many mass poisoning resulted in the growth of environmental protectionist organizations and - in USA at the beginning of 20th century with the Virus Act-the modern era of goverment regulations of dangerous substances and drugs was born. Toxic substances fall into several classes in relation to the way man in exposed to them: drugs, food additives, natural toxins, household poisons, industrial chemicals, environmental pollutants. The means of exposure to toxic substances is often determined by the nature of toxic substance. In most cases the exposure is accidental (intentional ingestion of drugs and food additivies, occupational exposure, environmental exposure, accidental poising), homicide by poisoning is how - even in some wars - relatively rare but suicide by poisoning is very common. People can protect themselves from harmful chemicals by careful handing with these substances; the societies and states have to protect their people by international treaties, wich are regrettably too lose and not-respecting the accepted rules is not sanctioned.
Descriptors		POISONS POISONING ENVIRONMENTAL EXPOSURE ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTANTS ACCIDENTS DRUGS FOOD ADDITIVES PLANT POISONING ANIMALS, POISONOUS OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURE