Radiation Exposure: Putting It Into Perspective

Obviously, if radiation exposure can be avoided, it should be. However, what is the best method for determining an appropriate level of "safe" radiation? With the ongoing disaster in Japan, people everywhere are going crazy with fear...fear of radiation but, above all, fear of cancer. As soon as the event occurred, potassium iodide tablets were flying off the shelves because even people as far removed as the United States thought that they needed to take radiation protection drugs. Then, the news came out about the contaminated milk and spinach....Everyone seemed to ignore the side note that it would take an entire year of daily consumption of those food items in order to amass the same total radiation exposure that is attained during one CT scan. With all the chaos and confusion, I am reminded of all the times when I was warned of other "cancer-causing" items: anti-perspirant deodorant, diet sodas, Teflon cooking utensils, and the list goes on and on.

However, I am not trying to downplay the events in Japan by any stretch of the imagination. Radiation, of course, literally can cause cancer, and it should be taken seriously. Currently, radiation exposure limits are set according to the total exposure from an entire year, and the focus is on avoiding large acute exposures. Chronic radiation exposure is a part of everyday life. Background radiation is everywhere...There is no avoiding it. If people are going to start worrying about every tiny exposure to radiation that they accumulate throughout their entire lives, they might as well cancel that exciting summer vacation because flying is out of the question. Radiation exposure increases with increasing altitude. And that trip to the beach? Forget about it. It might cause skin cancer....The bottom line is that I think people need to put their health concerns and fears into perspective and stop losing sleep over every little thing. Most likely, the chronic lack of sleep will be more likely to kill them than whatever they are worrying about!

Source:

"How Much Radiation Is Too Much?"

by Jeremy Singer-Vine

http://www.slate.com/id/2288618/

Abigail Hueske

VTPP 435-501