Re: Radon-Stirring the Pot

["Vincent A King" <slavak@gj.net>]

Regardless of whether you agree with what has been done to this point (I'm not interested in a stream of LNT vs. hormesis followups to this message), the radiation protection community has recommended use of the linear-no-threshold theory to set policies, regulations, etc., saying in effect "We don't know and cannot demonstrate what happens at very low levels of exposure, so we will assume this as sort of a worst case; better safe than sorry."



The radiation protection community has NOT recommend use of the LNT for the purpose of making assertions about what actual health effects exist at low doses.



Consequently, anyone making statements such as "radon IS the second-leading cause of cancer," basing their statement on LNT, is (1) using LNT in a manner NOT recommended by the radiation protection community, and (2) making assertions of fact (when they use the word "is" as I did above) without proof or evidence.



In my opinion, making assertions of fact without proof or evidence is VERY close to lying.



Just an opinion.  Feel free to point out if I'm missing something.



Vincent King

Grand Junction, CO







---------- Original Message ----------------------------------

From: BERNARD L COHEN <blc+@PITT.EDU>

Reply-To: BERNARD L COHEN <blc+@PITT.EDU>

Date:  Thu, 19 Sep 2002 12:57:59 -0400 (EDT)



>

>On Thu, 19 Sep 2002, Estabrooks, Bates (IHK)  wrote:

>

>> Radsafers,

>

>> 1. Where did the claim that radon is the "second leading cause of lung

>> cancer in the United States" originate?

>

>	--It has been used for years by EPA. It is demonstrably correct if

>you assume validity of the linear-no threshold theory.

>

>

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