Incense Sticks or Agarbatti: safe for health

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Two Minutes Read by Pradeep Gupta 
Incense Sticks May Pose Problem To Health . 
Burning incense sticks, or Agarbatti has been an integral part of any Hindu ritual, without which, the puja seems incomplete. But, do you know  that these sticks, which fill the atmosphere with aromas, contain many chemicals - some of which may be harmful for your health. A number of studies suggests that burning incense sticks can put an individual's health at risks, including genetic mutations, cancer, asthma and other respiratory diseases, leukaemia, heart disease, and skin irritation. 
Chinese also use incense stick as frequently as we Indians do. During my visit to Macau , I  saw in a old Buddhist Temple the campus was full of aroma as well as incense smokes . A 2015 Chinese study warned that burning incense at home may put your health at great risk, including cancer, as the pleasant smell contains certain particles that are more toxic than those found in cigarettes. This study was published in Springer's journal Environmental Chemistry. It also found that incense smoke is potentially more toxic to a cell, and especially to its genetic contents. It was also more cytotoxic and genotoxic than the cigarette used in the study. Mutagenics, genotoxins and cytotoxins have all been linked to the development of cancers.
I do not have an idea such study ever undertaken in India and based on that consumer protection groups or any government regulatory authority issued any guideline to make it mandatory for manufacturers to declare proportion of various chemicals used in making incense sticks and it’s possible  effects on health. 
Incense smoke may pose health risks, but there are some safer and time tested alternatives which  aren’t linked to increased risks of health problems or the risks are minimal. There are certain manufacturers who has come up with organic agarbatti , but you will rarely find any certification to ther claims from any scientific lab. But there are some time tested alternatives ,each one can be used to improve the scent of an indoor space in different ways:
* smudging, such as with sage, cedar, sweet grass, and lavender.
* Essential oil diffusers 
* natural home deodorizers such as  Lemon Basil Room Spray. Freshen up rooms with the clean scent of lemon and basil.

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