Airline Travelers Should Fear Terrorists More Than Full-Body Scanners

Here are some points to consider

Is this expensive security option worth it when you get very little extra protection and also consider the possible long term health effects to the traveling public?

The effect on the body of almost all radiation is additive. You may not see it immediately, but it will build over time.

The manufacturers say the radiation is low and the scanners are safe. Have the scanners been approved by the FDA?

On backscatter xray radiation, consider that cost is not the only reason why mammograms will be reduced for women under 50. It is radiation hazard. The following are conclusions from a study at the Boston University School of Public Health, Health Services Department, and Center for Health Quality:

“The cumulative risk of a false-positive mammogram over time varies substantially, depending on a woman's own risk profile and on several factors related to radiological screening. By the ninth mammogram, the risk can be as low as 5% for women with low-risk variables and as high as 100% for women with multiple high-risk factors”

Concerning the millimeter wave scanner effect here is an extract from a recent study done at The Los Alamos Laboratory:

“Based on our results we argue that a specific terahertz radiation exposure may significantly affect the natural dynamics of DNA, and thereby influence intricate molecular processes involved in gene expression and DNA replication”

Ron Paget of TX 2:57PM January 26, 2010