Incense Causes Cancer

(Jeddah, Saudi Arabia) I suggest that simple logic supports the reported conclusions of this study.

A doctor has warned against the harmful effects of oud, which can cause cancer.

Dr Sayed Oraby, a consultant pulmonologist at a local hospital who agreed with the findings of a study conducted by the National Cheng Kung University in Tainan, Taiwan, said that the study has particular relevance to Saudi Arabia due to the common habit of using 'bakhour' (incense) to fill households with the rustic aroma of oud, a type of oily wood, the burning of which increases the particulate matter of the air, creating indoor air pollution that can be particularly harmful to young children and the elderly.

The Cheng Kung study said that burning incense considerably increases the risk of people contracting respiratory problems, even lung cancer.

"The smoke that comes out of burning incense is similar to vehicular exhaust, which is a mixture of chemicals, such as carbon monoxide. It provokes the bronchi (airways) in the lungs, especially in people who suffer from asthma," Oraby said.

He stressed that the danger increases with the long-term exposure to incense smoke.

Doctors recommend that incense be burned outdoors or in large interior spaces where the harmful smoke can disperse. Presumably, the people most affected are those who regularly use incense in religious rituals. To mimimize risk, devotees may want to light up fewer incense sticks.