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Analysis of pesticide use in the Third World often focuses on the forces of supply (manufacturers and marketers} or demand (users), neglecting or trivializing the role of what is often the most powerful force, the local govern-ment. Governments can determine which pesticides are imported, how they are distributed, if their price to the farmer is subsidized, who applies them and under what conditions, how much is applied, and how educated and aware users and consumers are about their dangers. Thus governments play an extremely important role in either promoting or restricting the use of dangerous chemicals. Many governments choose to limit their influence in pesticide use, either because of a lack of political will, or due to a desire to stay out of the way of ‘free market’forces. Other govern-ments appear interested in regulating pesticide use, mostly for health reasons, and to that end may pass restric-tive legislation …