Doctors prescribe antibiotics to treat ear infections, post-surgery infections and even illnesses such as pneumonia, but what good are these medicines if our bodies build up resistance? The overuse of antibiotics in livestock ultimately leads to antibiotic resistance bacteria which can then find their way to the human population through numerous pathways including contaminated food, airborne dust blowing off farms and water and soil polluted with contaminated feces. McDonald's recently announced that they will be following the tracks of other fast food companies such as Chipotle and Panera Bread in serving antibiotic-free chicken within the next two years ("McDonald's chicken gets new standard: No human antibiotics," March 4). While this is an effective step toward protecting public health, there is more work that needs to be done.
Passing a state level bill banning the cosmetic use of antibiotics on farms would assure better health for the general public. Currently, there is a bill going through the Maryland House of Delegates and Senate called Senate Bill 470. This bill prohibits the use of an antibiotic drug to a food-producing animal under certain circumstances. Every year, millions of people are infected with antibiotic-resistant bacteria and at least 23,000 people die in the United States. Without proper regulations, the situation could get much worse. For the sake of public safety and future generations, we urge Maryland legislators to set a good example and pass Senate Bill 470.
Sonali Singh, College Park