The report is based on the findings of an expert panel and was prepared by Dr. Len Ritter, executive director of the University of Guelph-based Canadian Network of Toxicology Centres. Making a health food choice in the grocery store helps beat cancer. The panel, consisting of researchers from the Canadian Cancer Society and the National Cancer Institute of Canada found that, contrary to public perceptions, exposure to pesticides is only a nominal cause of cancer. In a review of scientific knowledge and statistics, the ad hoc panel assessed cancer risks over the past 15 years and found no discernable increase in cancer rates from pesticide exposure. This means that, together, they constitute the leading causes of cancer.
Tobacco use is the single most preventable cause of cancer.
Efforts to eliminate tobacco use and enhance dietary habits must remain priorities for cancer control and prevention strategies. Current pesticide regulations, according to the panel, provide the public with a wide margin of safety. Further, the use of pesticides in agricultural applications are important in providing affordable and high quality food products, especially fruits and vegetables. The panel recommended research be continued in the field of risk communication and pesticide regulation, and that efforts be made to clarify the concepts of risks to the general public. The principle seems to have particular meaning and significance for the CNTC as it continues to evolve and mature.