I was 33 years old when I was diagnosed with young-onset Parkinson’s disease. At the time, my wife and I had four young children. Our youngest was just three months old.

I never imagined that a disease normally associated with much older people would become part of my life.

Nearly two decades later, Parkinson’s has affected virtually every part of my life. I have experienced the progression of the disease, including falls and injuries that have taken away some of the things I once took for granted.

And while I cannot say what caused my Parkinson’s, I have learned something that I believe every Utahn should care about: we need to take seriously the growing body of research examining environmental exposures and Parkinson’s disease.

One chemical deserves particular attention: paraquat.

Paraquat is a powerful herbicide used in agriculture and other settings. It is also extremely toxic. It is so toxic that more than 70 countries have already banned paraquat, including China, Brazil, the European Union and Turkey. Canada no longer registers paraquat for agricultural use.

In the United States, even though the EPA — as far back as 1978 — classified paraquat as a restricted-use pesticide and continues to restrict its availability for home use, it refuses to ban paraquat. Recent arguments by The Michael J. Fox Foundation (MJFF) before the EPA provided more than 90 scientific studies evidencing the dangers of paraquat. MJFF also highlighted in its findings that paraquat significantly increases the risk of Parkinson’s Disease by 100% to 500%.

The EPA and the federal government’s refusal to act has convinced many states to act in the vacuum of federal inaction. Vermont was the first state to ban paraquat in May of this year, and in California, manufacturers, seeing mounting pressure and lawsuits, voluntarily canceled their product registrations, allowing sales in the state, resulting in an effective paraquat ban.

Fourteen other states, including Utah, have introduced bills to restrict or ban paraquat, but these measures have largely stalled.

I believe Utah should be a leader and ban paraquat statewide.

For those who may argue that eliminating paraquat would threaten Utah agriculture or drive up food prices, it’s important to highlight the fact that paraquat is not a major part of Utah agriculture. According to data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, paraquat accounts for less than 0.26% of all pesticides used in Utah. It is used on less than 0.6% of alfalfa acres, and recent growing seasons saw zero paraquat applications on corn and wheat.

Farmers have alternatives. Researchers from Utah State University and the University of Idaho evaluated nine alternative herbicides for weed control in established alfalfa and found no difference in weed control, crop yield or crop quality. The study’s lead researcher, University of Idaho professor Albert Adjesiwor, concluded: “Even if paraquat goes away, growers will still have effective options.”

We should especially think about the people who have the least ability to protect themselves: children, families living near agricultural areas, farmworkers and others who may encounter these chemicals as part of their environment or occupation.

Utah is a state that prides itself on protecting families, communities and future generations. We should apply that same principle to environmental health.

A ban would not undo the Parkinson’s diagnoses of people like me. It would not answer the question of what caused my disease. But it could reduce future exposure and eliminate one potential environmental risk.

I have spent nearly 20 years living with Parkinson’s. I have learned that there is no cure and that managing the disease is a daily battle.

I also have four children.

I don’t want their generation — or the generations that follow — to look back and wonder why we knew there was a potential danger and chose to do nothing.

Utah has an opportunity to lead.

Let’s protect our farmers, our families, our children and our future. Utah should ban paraquat.

Rob Warner grew up in Roy, Utah. He graduated from Utah State University in mechanical engineering and married his wife Wendy in 1997. He worked as a flight test engineer for the USAF for 22 years. Rob was diagnosed with Young Onset Parkinson’s disease in 2008 at the age of 33. He continues fighting the disease with exercise. He is a passionate advocate who has worked to raise awareness and a ban of the chemicals that can cause Parkinson’s Disease, like Paraquat and TCE. He currently resides in North Salt Lake.