Even a Caveman…

A Canadian news site notes that activists have recently formed a new “lobby” group called “Prevent Cancer Now.” They want to alert the world to the alleged dangers of man-made chemicals. However, if they really want to make a dent in reducing cancer rates, they should focus on the most likely causes of cancer — smoking, poor diets, too much sun exposure — rather than the fact that a man-made chemical “might” pose risk. Evidence that current uses of such man-made chemicals present a serious cancer problem is scant.

Apparently, activists are aware that the primary causes of cancer are NOT manmade chemicals. One of their spokespersons admits: “We totally accept that smoking causes lung cancer and that lousy diet encourages cancer, and all those things. That’s all correct. But there’s a whole other side to the story that’s not being told…People may be exposed to toxic chemicals.” Apparently, if these chemicals appear in the human body, we all should fear them. Yet there isn’t a compelling body of evidence showing that the existence of chemicals in the human body matters a hill of beans. Even cavemen had chemicals in their bodies! They were exposed to different chemicals coming from such things as burning wood to cooking food and heating homes. Today we find chemicals in the human body related to our lifestyles—and there is no demonstrated ill effect. The only difference is that people today live decades longer than did cavemen. That’s due in large part to chemicals that are used to provide healthcare, store food, and keep drinking water safe and clean. Interestingly, as chemical use went up, cancer rates dropped.

We will continue to make progress in the war on cancer as long as we continue to focus on true, verified causes, rather than misguided political agendas of environmental activists and their allies on the left.