Radon Exposure and Smoking

Smoking cigarettes and radon exposure are two well known causes of lung cancer, so it makes sense that if a person is around cigarette smoke and exposed to radon, their chance of developing lung cancer increases.  EPA studies indicate, though, that when these dangerous elements are combined, they work "synergistically" to make the risk of developing lung cancer even higher.

According to the EPA, "about 62 people in 1,000 will die of lung-cancer, compared to 7.3 people in a 1,000 for never smokers. Put another way, a person who never smoked (never smoker) who is exposed to 1.3 pCi/L has a 2 in 1,000 chance of lung cancer; while a smoker has a 20 in 1,000 chance of dying from lung cancer."

This is a significant increase in your risk of developing lung cancer if you are a smoker and have radon in your home.  What is most alarming is that a lot of the time, people aren’t even aware that they have a radon problem in their homes.  Radon has been called the silent killer.  Radon is deadly and is the second leading cause of lung cancer.  It is odorless and invisible, making it hard to detect without a home radon test kit.

There is hope.  Radon test kits are easy to use and inexpensive.  If you find that you do have a radon problem, there are professionals in your area who specialize in radon remediation and can install a radon fan to divert the radon from entering your home.  The EPA recommends that you test your home for radon with a home radon test kit regularly.  The EPA also recommends that you quit smoking and "Until you can quit, smoke outside and provide your family with a smoke-free home."