Why is radon
bad.
The Surgeon General has warned that radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States today causing over 21,000 deaths per year. At 21,000 this makes it a bigger killer than drunk driving which accounts for approximately 17,000 deaths per year. You would not let your family ride in a car with a drunk driver, so why would you let them live in a home with high levels of radon?
If you smoke you are at an even higher risk for developing lung cancer. The cumulative effects of smoking and exposure to radon will greatly increase your risk.
Unlike may other types of cancer, lung cancer has a very low survival rate. Even with today's medical technologies, only 7% of the people diagnosed with lung cancer will survive.
Many scientific studies of radon exposure indicate that children may be more sensitive to radon. This may be due to their higher respiration rate and their rapidly dividing cells, which may be more vulnerable to radiation damage.