Agent Orange in Vietnam - Kirsten & Melissa Moy

Category: Weapons of Mass Destruction

Agent Orange was a herbicide employed by the United States during the Vietnam War, from 1961 to 1971. The chemical was used to destroy plant life in the thick Vietnamese jungle to ease the war effort. However, the chemical was often sprayed on people from helicopters during its use (both Vietnamese and US troops), and contributed to many deaths. Agent Orange contains high levels of the chemical dioxin, and studies have shown that populations highly exposed to dioxin have an increased risk of certain types of cancers and genetic defects. Since 1980, lawsuits on the behalf of Vietnam veterans have been filed against the companies that created Agent Orange, with the ultimate settlement being a $180 million lump sum. The only case on behalf of the Vietnamese, filed by the Vietnam Association for Victims of Agent Orange/Dioxin was thrown out of court on March 10, 2005, and they still have not received any reparations. It has been determined that most, if not all, of those affected by Agent Orange during the war, and their family members that were subsequently exposed, will die in the next several years, before the age of 65.

In Vietnam, dioxin levels in the areas the chemical was used are still 300 to 400 times higher than the standard accepted amount.

- Kirsten O'Neal and Melissa Moy