MOUNT VERNON - Susan M. Conrath, PhD, MPH, U.S. Public Health Service issued the following statement December 17, 2008 regarding radon health risk and smoking.

"EPA's 2003 risk assessment, based on the National Academy of Science's BEIR VI Report shows a risk of lung cancer deaths to be 6/100 for smokers and 7/1000 for never smokers. Since most federal agencies regulate substances which cause 1 death per million and occasionally 1 death per 100,000, the radon risks are huge.

While it is true that radon and smoking have a synergistic effect, merely controlling smoking [were it totally possible] would not address the risk to other members of the household or to the families which subsequently occupy the residence with elevated radon levels. Radon is a communal risk rather than an individual risk since all members of the household are exposed."

January is National Radon Action Month. The Southern Illinois Radon Awareness Task Force - http://www.silradon.org/ - urges everyone in Southern Illinois to test their home for radon and take action to reduce elevated radon levels if discovered. The risk of yourself or a family member developing radon induced lung is something that can be controlled. Lung cancer is not just for smokers. According to Capt Conrath statement, 7 in 1000 people that never smoked die of lung cancer.

Free radon test kits are available at the Illinois Emergency Management Agency website http://radon.illinois.gov/.