We try to keep the emphasis happy and positive here in our little travel blog. Still, we can't keep a secret of the fact that we don't trust the safety of those X-Ray scanners that are becoming more and more common at TSA airport checkpoints.
Brian has referred to it more than once as the largest mass X-Ray experiment in human history.
An article just out reinforces our concerns. It starts off like this...
On Sept. 23, 1998, a panel of radiation safety experts gathered at a Hilton hotel in Maryland to evaluate a new device that could detect hidden weapons and contraband. The machine, known as the Secure 1000, beamed X-rays at people to see underneath their clothing.
One after another, the experts convened by the Food and Drug Administration raised questions about the machine because it violated a longstanding principle in radiation safety — that humans shouldn’t be X-rayed unless there is a medical benefit.
It's well worth a read...
U.S. Government Glossed Over Cancer Concerns As It Rolled Out Airport X-Ray Scanners
Just goes to show the power of lobbying.. As a frequent flier, I'll never step foot in a TSA body scanner. When it becomes mandatory, well then I'll revisit my decision to fly 110K per year..
ReplyDelete"Instead, annual inspections are done by Rapiscan, the scanners’ manufacturer."
Can anybody say "Conflict of Interest"?!