Our city without ragweed

About 25% of the population are allergic. Ragweed allergy affects about 5-10% of the population.

In Odessa, 30-50 thousand people are allergic to ragweed, and these are active people - just look at what's happening on the Odessa forum.

According to research, 25% of ragweed allergy sufferers become asthmatics.

Also, the average allergic person spends 500-600 UAH per season on medicines (wealthier ones spend 2-3 thousand, as they buy more expensive medicines). That is, about 500 x 30,000 = 15 million UAH is spent per season.

Ideally, systematic large-scale work should be carried out for about 5 years, and then if you relax for a couple of years, it grows back very quickly. Ragweed came to us from North America and has no natural enemies on our continent. In the US, it evolved to be more resilient and very fertile. That's why we have such problems with it.

How this is being addressed worldwide:

1. Organize a campaign like "hryvnia per plant with root". Collection points can be set up during the control period with information support and instructions. It's very important to pull it out with the root and thoroughly, otherwise several small ones will grow in its place.

2. Try to get authorities involved in the fight. Previously, they say, there were fines for ragweed growing on territory.

3. Plant vegetation that will displace ragweed. This happens over 5-7 years.

4. Use special pesticide that will kill the plant very quickly.

Additionally, this must be done before the plant's flowering period, because pollen is dangerous for allergy sufferers.

The only problem is that for systematic ragweed control, these operations must be repeated 3-4 years in a row. Only after this time will results be really noticeable.