I just bought a beautiful rosemary bush from Home Depot, so aromatic that people on line were commenting, but unfortunately, I now have a dilemma and may need to return it. I'm looking for advice now that I see the plant came with a little tag that says: "This plant is protected from problematic aphids, white flies, beetles, mealy bugs, and other unwanted pests by Neonicotinoids."

On the back of the tag is a website: www.ecooptions.homedepot.com/healthyhome/gardening but the link does not work. When you look up Neonicotinoids you find info that the chemical is related to nicotine and works as a nervous sytem toxin for many types of insects, including bees.

After a little research, I'm finding the problem is in understanding the risk of a systemic pesticide residue within the plant (and you can't wash this off) as opposed to the observed hazards of exposure to the chemical itself.

Wikipedia says: "Neonicotinoids are synthetic analogues of the natural insecticide nicotine (with much lower acute mammalian toxicity and greater field persistence). These chemicals are acetylcholine receptor agonists. They are broad-spectrum systemic insecticides, with rapid action (minutes-hours). They are applied as sprays, drenches, seed and soil treatments...Imidacloprid may be the most common. It has recently come under scrutiny for allegedly pernicious effects on honeybees..." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Insecticide

Wiki also says ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imidacloprid ) "Imidacloprid is a systemic insecticide which acts as an insect neurotoxin and belongs to a class of chemicals called the neonicotinoids which act on the central nervous system of insects with much lower toxicity to mammals...By blocking nicotinic acetylcholine receptors, imidacloprid prevents acetylcholine from transmitting impulses between nerves resulting in the insect's paralysis, and eventually death. It is effective on contact and via stomach action. Because imidacloprid binds much more strongly to insect neuron receptors than to mammal neuron receptors, this insecticide is selectively more toxic to insects than mammals."

Exposure to the chemical itself: "In mammals, the primary effects following acute high-dose oral exposure to imidacloprid are mortality, transient cholinergic effects (dizziness, apathy, locomotor effects, labored breathing) and transient growth retardation. Exposure to high doses may be associated with degenerative changes in the testes, thymus, bone marrow and pancreas. Cardiovascular and hematological effects have also been observed at higher doses. The primary effects of longer term, lower-dose exposure to imidacloprid are on the liver, thyroid, and body weight (reduction). Low- to mid-dose oral exposures have been associated with reproductive toxicity, developmental retardation and neurobehavioral deficits in rats and rabbits. Imidacloprid is neither carcinogenic in laboratory animals nor mutagenic in standard laboratory assays."

"No studies have been published involving human subjects chronically exposed to imidacloprid. Effects of imidacloprid on human health and the environment depend on how much imidacloprid is present and the length and frequency of exposure. Effects also depend on the health of a person and/or certain environmental factors."

Another website by the National Pesticide Information Center about imidaclopridn http://npic.orst.edu/factsheets/imidagen.html#children says:

"Imidacloprid is a systemic insecticide, which means that plants take it up from the soil or through the leaves and it spreads throughout the plant's stems, leaves, fruit, and flowers. Insects that chew or suck on the treated plants end up eating the imidacloprid as well. Once the insects eat the imidacloprid, it damages their nervous system and they eventually die."

"Because imidacloprid is a systemic insecticide, you could be exposed to imidacloprid if you ate the fruit, leaves, or roots of plants that were grown in soil treated with imidacloprid."

Then there's the issue of half life and chemical breakdown:

This fact sheet: http://npic.orst.edu/factsheets/imidacloprid.pdf says: "Researchers sprayed imidacloprid on eggplant, cabbage, and mustard crops at rates of 20 and 40 g/ha when the crops were at 50% fruit formation, curd formation, and pod formation, respectively. The researchers calculated foliar half-lives
of 3 to 5 days based on the measured residues. Metabolites detected in the eggplant, cabbage, and mustard plants included the urea derivative [1-(6 chloropyridin-3-ylmethil)imidazolidin-2-one] and 6-chloronicotinic acid 10 days after foliar application. Residues of 2.15-3.34 μg/g were
detected in the eggplant fruit."

Under "Food Residue" says: The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Pesticide Data Program monitored imidacloprid residues in food and published their findings in 2006. Imidacloprid was detected in a range of fresh and processed fruits and vegetables. It was detected in over 80% of all bananas tested, 76% of cauliflower, and 72% of spinach samples. In all cases, however, the levels detected were below the U.S. EPA’s tolerance levels. Imidacloprid was also found in 17.5 % of applesauce and 0.9% raisin samples, although percentage of detections were greater in the fresh unprocessed fruit (26.6% of apples sampled, and 18.1% of grapes sampled).

So this rosemary Home Depot sells shouldn't be consumed and may be harmful?