[ RadSafe ] Radon - Smoking

[niton at mchsi.com]

>From the 2002 archieves - 

We previously showed (Smith et al. 1998 and elsewhere:
that when Cohen's adjusted smoking percentages for males and females were 
regressed on radon levels, significant (p < 0.00001) negative associations 
between smoking and radon were noted for both males and females.
-------------------------
NCRP also noted the inverse association between averaged county radon 
concentrations (based on a few short term measurements per county) and averaged 
county smoking rates (estimated from proxy sources).


>     First, please allow me to apologize for my feeble attempt at humor. It
> did not occur to me that it might be taken seriously.
> Actually, I find the idea of a negative relationship, or any correlation
> between radon levels and smoking  to be complete nonsense. This idea stemmed
> from previous discussions on radsafe to the effect that: [1] there is a
> negative correlation between radon levels and lung cancer incidence (as per
> Bernie Cohen), and [2] cigarette smoking is a far more dominant cause of
> lung cancer than is radon exposure---- so, to some people, it was apparent
> that there must be a negative correlation between smoking  and radon
> exposure levels.
>     I much prefer another hypothesis. How about: radon exposure somehow
> stimulates the immune system thereby increasing resistance to lung cancer.
> This hypothesis would certainly account for the observed decrease in lung
> cancer incidence with increased radon levels. Maybe, just maybe, the people
> who frequent the Radon Spas in Europe, or mines in Montana are not so crazy
> after all. It might even be conceivable that hormesis is a valid concept.
> Jerry Cohen
> 
> 
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Kai Kaletsch <eic at shaw.ca>
> To: jjcohen <jjcohen at prodigy.net>; radsafe <radsafe at radlab.nl>
> Sent: Wednesday, May 25, 2005 7:59 AM
> Subject: [ RadSafe ] Re: Selective ventilation
> 
> 
> > Jerry asked: "Given an indoor atmosphere containing both radon and smoke,
> > how would opening windows, or any other form of ventilation  mitigate one
> > but not the other?"
> >
> > It doesn't. Smokers would open a window to let smoke out and radon escapes
> > with it. Non-smokers have no reason to open windows and therefore have
> > higher radon levels.
> >
> > Kai
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "jjcohen" <jjcohen at prodigy.net>
> > To: "Kai Kaletsch" <eic at shaw.ca>; "radsafe" <radsafe at radlab.nl>
> > Sent: Tuesday, May 24, 2005 9:03 AM
> > Subject: Re: Selective ventilation
> >
> >
> > > Given an indoor atmosphere containing both radon and smoke, how would
> > > opening windows, or any other form of ventilation  mitigate one but not
> > > the
> > > other?
> > >
> > >
> > > ----- Original Message -----
> > > From: Kai Kaletsch <eic at shaw.ca>
> > > To: jjcohen <jjcohen at prodigy.net>; radsafe <radsafe at radlab.nl>
> > > Sent: Tuesday, May 24, 2005 5:52 AM
> > > Subject: Re: [ RadSafe ] Residential radon risk
> > >
> > >
> > >> Jerry asked: "Given the apparent negative correlation between smoking
> and
> > >> radon levels, I wonder
> > >> whether it is low radon levels that cause people to smoke, or does
> > >> smoking
> > >> somehow
> > >> cause lower radon levels? "
> > >>
> > >> I think it is likely that smoking causes lower radon levels, because
> > > smokers
> > >> would open a window to let some fresh air in.
> > >>
> > >> We have to remember that residential radon levels are, in part,
> > >> determined
> > >> by the residents' lifestyle. So, one could also expect that being sick
> > >> increases radon levels. (Sick people might not lead as active lives and
> > >> doors will stay closed.)
> > >>
> > >> Since residential radon levels are related to ventilation, one would
> also
> > >> expect that they correlate positively with mould and other indoor
> > >> pollutants.
> > >>
> > >> In the ecological studies, these factors probably largely cancel out
> and
> > > the
> > >> average county radon levels are more related to the radon source term.
> > > Case
> > >> control studies would be very susceptible to the influence of these
> other
> > >> factors, unless these are specifically controlled.
> > >>
> > >> Kai
> 
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