See how I cleverly got around using the s-word (the six-lettered one) and “parents” in the same title?
Believe me; it took a lot of restraint, especially after hearing yet another news story about moms and dads who are running from store to store desperately buying up potassium iodide as a preventative measure against radiation exposure.
Did I mention that these procreating geniuses live in California and New York—-not Japan.
According to news reports, potassium iodide tablets are flying off store shelves in California (and in states as far away as New York) amidst concern that Japan’s nuclear crisis poses a threat to American residents.
NBC News just reported that some fools are purchasing $30 boxes of potassium iodide, an over-the-counter drug that shields the thyroid from radiation, and selling them on eBay for as much as $5,000.
This, even after top public health officials stressed to the American public, yet again, that no one should be popping the pills.
“Potassium iodide tablets are not recommended at this time, and can present a danger to people with allergies to iodine, shellfish, or who have thyroid problems,” reads a statement on the California Department of Public Health website.
What’s more, the EPA has repeatedly reiterated that there is no radiation threat on the West coast at this time, and it doesn’t anticipate one.
Parents, who are purchasing potassium iodide tablets with the intent of giving them to their children to ward off the threat of cancer, are ill-informed at the very least.
Instead of calculating how much you need to spend to stock up on the pills, why not do some simple math and figure out how far you live from the power plant that’s leaking radiation. If you live in California, you are nearly 6,000 miles away from the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear plant’s damaged reactors.
Six thoooooooooooooooooousand miles.
Experts have been assuring the public that any residual radiation would dissipate in the jet stream long before it hits the coast of California. My family lives in Hawaii, which is roughly 2,000 miles closer to Japan than California. Interestingly, reports out of Honolulu say there are very few people there draining their wallets stocking up on potassium iodide tablets.
What’s the deal with parents in California?
Fortunately, there is a way to redeem yourselves. Take the advice of NBC’s Dr. Nancy Snyderman and gather your supplies of potassium iodide tablets, wrap them up, and send them to the people of Japan. Parents there need the pills for their kids. You don’t.