When my husband sent me the first bouquet of roses, we were courting long distance (literally, for I was living in another continent). And oh, my heart burst with pure bliss when I saw the pink roses beautifully arranged in an elegant vase and sitting on the kitchen table. I'll never forget that day. I was weary from work and the sight of those flowers lifted my spirit. I tenderly held the roses against my face and inhaled deeply the rose perfume as I thought of my beloved husband-to-be.

Many years later, I still get my bouquet of roses, especially on Valentine's Day. Being more frugal these days , I've suggested to my husband that he could wait a day and then get me birthday roses instead since my birthday falls on the day after Valentine's Day. Hmm....unless he reads this blog, he may forget again this year. He can save a bit by buying roses the day after Valentine's Day (and I can have an excuse to buy yet another book which I have no time to read...). But this blog is not about our domestic affairs. Really. It's about the dark side of roses.

You see, the roses you want to sink your face into have a deadly side. They are pesticide-laden. The flower growers, mostly from Columbia and Ecuador, from where the U.S. imports 70% of its flowers, often endure horrendous working conditions. They also suffer serious pesticide-related health problems and the children of female workers suffer from prenatal pesticide exposures.

It is with sadness that I learn that 35 out of 72 children in Ecuador, tested by the Harvard School of Public Health, had been exposed to organophosphate pesticides in the womb while their mothers worked for flower companies. The children showed higher blood pressure. They also suffered from poorer spatial ability than children without prenatal exposures. And the tragedy continues. Many of these children will continue to be exposed to these pesticides through contaminated food or home pesticide use.

So what are flower-lovers to do? And especially on Valentine's Day?

First, try to buy locally grown flowers before heading to the store. If local options are not available,, you might want to choose organically grown flowers from certified growers. The latter is probably beyond the reach of most of us. Finally, if store-bought flowers are what you will buy or get, just exercise precaution. Just don't let your children sniff them or kiss them. Avoid touching the blossoms and handle them as little as possible. And do wash your hands after arranging them in your vase.

Remember that chlorpyrifos, an organophosphate pesticide most commonly used on flowers, are associated with long-term neurological damage, headaches, blurred vision and loss of consciousness. Just be aware that you may be inhaling more than a sweet perfume when you take time to smell the beautiful imported roses.

I think I will ask my husband to plant me a rose garden when he asks me what I want for my birthday.