The Lead Amnesia Hypothesis

Symptoms of Lead Induced Amnesia

In 2005 Cleveland enacted a Lead Safe Housing registry. No one ever registered.'

In 2021, Governor DeWine released a Lead Task Force Final Report. Three years later is State of the State message focused on child wellbeing, but never mentioned lead poisoning. In fact Ohio is out of compliance with current CDC standards.

The Lead Amnesia Hypothesis is simply the observable fact that the less the public is exposed to news about lead, the more likely they are remember that lead is a problem.

Related syndrome is the famous "if we don't talk about it, lead poisoning will go away policy."

Regretfully we've encountered the "move the sofa" remedy which involves moving the sofa will prevent a poisoned child from coming into contact with lead dust on the windowsill.

Predictably another crisis will come along (Pandemic, Say Yes to Education, Racism as a public health issue...) to divert the public eyes (and dollars) away from lead poisoning. After all you can't see lead. Many times there are no symptoms. Didn't we remove lead from paint in 1978? From gas in the 1980s? So what's the problem now?

Related conditions. Somebody Else's Problem.