Asthma is a chronic disease without a cure. Over 3 million Canadians suffer from asthma. Asthma rates in children have increased 400% over the last 20 years. Between the ages of 8 and 11, 15% of boys and 11% are diagnosed with asthma in Canada.

The symptoms of asthma are coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath, and tightness in the chest. The costs of asthma are painful too. According to the Asthma Society of Canada, there is an estimated 146,000 emergency room visits each year in Canada. The direct health care cost of asthma is estimated to be $600 million per year. Each year $12 billion is spent on asthma.

One of the triggers of asthma is pollution. As we know pollution seems to be getting worse and worse. More and more evidence is building though that pollution is a cause of asthma too. 

                            

Pregnant mothers who are exposed to traffic pollution are more likely to have children diagnosed with asthma. A study in the US tracked pregnant mother’s exposure to traffic pollution while also monitoring the mother’s ACSL3 gene. Traffic pollution was found to interact with the ACSL3 gene, which increased the chances of being diagnosed with asthma later on in a child’s life. Disturbingly, the study found that “tissues are being reprogrammed to become abnormal later”.

It seems that those with certain genes are more susceptible to asthma when exposed to higher levels of traffic pollution. Thus far though scientists can only use the words ‘could heighten’ and ‘could cause’ when talking about asthma and pollution.

When profits of industries are at stake, our scientific research system can only be 100% sure if there is a causal link between two variables. Heck, corporate funded research money could be at risk. Of course if profits can be enhanced then only a weak correlation between two variables is needed.   

Motorcycles at first glance seem to pollute less than cars, and especially less than SUVs. Research has shown that this is incorrect. In fact, compared to cars, motorcycles produce 16 times the hydrocarbon emissions and 3 times the level of carbon monoxide.

Though I am sure their hearts are in the right place, riding motorcycles to raise money and awareness of asthma is like spraying pesticides to raise money for a cure for cancer.

Anyway, I am sure the motorcycle ride will continue on, the motorcyclists will feel good, the Calgary Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and Asthma Program will be happy, and we will all continue applauding.

The fog of exhaust will continue to cloud our judgment, to allow us to ignore the hypocrisy and the harmful effects of our way of life. Though humans seem to be clever, we are seldom wise.