http://www.health-report.co.uk/benzene-toxic-chemical.htm#Cancer

EXTRACT

* Benzene exposure also occurs from using condoms

How can benzene affect my health?

Breathing very high levels of benzene can result in death, while high
levels can cause drowsiness, dizziness, rapid heart rate, headaches,
tremors, confusion, and unconsciousness.
Eating or drinking foods containing high levels of benzene can cause
vomiting, irritation of the stomach, dizziness, sleepiness, convulsions,
rapid heart rate, and death.
The major effect of benzene from long-term (365 days or longer) exposure
is on the blood. Benzene causes harmful effects on the bone marrow and can
cause a decrease in red blood cells leading to anaemia. It can also cause
excessive bleeding and can affect the immune system, increasing the chance
for infection.
Some women who breathed high levels of benzene for many months had
irregular menstrual periods and a decrease in the size of their ovaries.
It is not known whether benzene exposure affects the developing foetus in
pregnant women or fertility in men.
Animal studies have shown low birth weights, delayed bone formation, and
bone marrow damage when pregnant animals breathed benzene. Back to Top
How likely is benzene to cause cancer?
The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) has determined that
benzene is a known human carcinogen. Long-term exposure to high levels of
benzene in the air can cause leukaemia, cancer of the blood-forming
organs.
WITH LINK TO: -
Benzene, Lubricants and AIDS
http://www.health-report.co.uk/benzene-lubricants-condoms.htm
A MUST READ IF YOU DON'T ALREADY KNOW CONDOMS CAUSE IMMUNE SUPPRESSION

American Journal of Nursing - September 1999
(www.nursingcenter.com)
The Latex Threat
Latex allergy and hypersensitivity present serious risks for nurses and
patients. Do you know the signs and symptoms?
By Marianne Gritter, MS, RN, CS
(c) 1999

Chemicals, including toxic antineoplastic medications, can permeate rapidly
through intact surgical gloves (Connor et al 1984, Laidlaw et al 1984,
Slevin et al 1984, Stoikes et al 1987, Waegemaekers et al 1983, Williams
1979).

Both surgical and examination gloves are permeable to ethanol in
alcohol-based disinfectants (Baumann et al 2000), to some chemicals
commonly used in hospitals (Makela et al 2003), and to organic monomers
and solvents in dental materials (Lonnroth and Ruyter 2002, Munksgaard
1992, 2000, Tinsley and Chadwick 1997).

obering news for rubber contraceptive users.
    
A German scientific research institute has warned that most condoms on
the
market contain a cancer-causing chemical and has urged that their
manufacture be subjected to stringent quality control.
 
The Chemical and Veterinary Investigation Institute in Stuttgart said on
Friday it had found the carcinogen N-Nitrosamine in 29 of 32 types of
condoms it tested in simulated conditions.
 
The condoms, which were kept in a solution with artificial sweat, exuded
huge amounts of cancer-causing N-Nitrosamine from its rubber coating.
Researchers measured amounts of N-Nitrosamine, that were way above the
prescribed limits for other rubber products such as baby pacifiers.
 
"N-Nitrosamine is one of the most carcinogenic substances," the study's
authors said. "There is a pressing need for manufacturers to tackle this
problem."
 
The study said that the carcinogen is thought to be present in a
substance
used to improve condom elasticity. When the rubber material comes in
contact with human bodily fluids, it can release traces of N-Nitrosamine.
 
No immediate health risk
 
But since there are no prescribed limits of N-Nitrosamine for condoms,
the
study hasn't caused panic among manufacturers or mass-recalling of the
products from counters.
 
Local government officials said condom users should not stop using rubber
contraceptives based on the results of the study because N-Nitrosamine
does not present an immediate health risk.
 
The Baden-Würtemmberg Social Ministry said it didn't think "it posed a
risk." Authorities are also withholding the name of the affected
manufacturers for fear of litigation.
 
Manufacturers should use alternative substances
 
But Germany's Federal Institute for Risk Assessment said that daily
condom
use exposed users to N-Nitrosamine levels up to three times higher than
levels naturally present in food.
 
Werner Altkofer, head of the Stuttgart-based Chemical and Veterinary
Investigation Institute said that though the production of rubber usually
uses chemicals that can exude N-Nitrosamine, condom manufacturers could
bypass it by using more expensive alternative substances available on the
market that didn't form the carcinogen.
 
"We believe that it's up to the manufacturers to use other production
processes so that no N-Nitrosamine is formed in condoms," Altkofer said.
 
He added that the latter was technically possible going by the fact that
products of some manufacturers didn't show traces of the carcinogen
during
the testing.
 
Beate Uhse taking no chances
 
Germany's biggest erotica compnay Beate Uhse however, has decided to play
it safe.
 
Shortly after the results of the study were introduced on Friday, the
group banned chocolate-flavored condoms from its range. That was because
the study had show that condoms laced with a chocolate flavoring had
overwhelming high levels of N-Nitrosamine.