"There has not been sufficient review of the intermediate and long-term effects of radiation exposure associated with airport scanners. There is good reason to believe that these scanners will increase the risk of cancer to children and other vulnerable populations."
http://www.zdnet.com.au/body-scanners-have-mutagenic-effects-339307191.htm?omnRef=NULL
Frankly I believe anything that a guy like Michael Chertoff profits from after he leaves government is something that I will try very hard to stay away from. Today the local radio station was buzzing with rumors about profiteers.
I'm also very cautious about other X-ray devices no matter what the technicians say. I have a friend who works for a hospital and he is cautious too.
THX THX
From a post of mine on another thread:
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You can get as much as 660 micro-REMS per hour in flight, with 250 micro REMS per hour being a low average. That’s at least ten times ground level background.
If the xray scanners are harmful with their less-than-a-second less than 25 microrem scan, airline flight is many many times more dangerous.
http://www.hps.org/publicinformation/ate/faqs/commercialflights.html
Plus, lots of airline radiation is heavy particles and neutrons, not just low energy x-rays.
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So air flight gives you at least 200 uREM/hour. This memo:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/microsites/ostp/fda-backscatter-response.pdf
says that the scanners are limited by law to 25 uREM per scan, and you’ll find actual measurements in the 5 uREM to 9 uREM from AS&E.
So you get more dose in flight. Plus, the in-flight dose is made up of higher energy photons mixed with particles from cosmic rays, and a bunch of really hot neutrons. Looking at the numbers, you can get more dose in an hour on a plane than you get from a scanner.
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The BIER report of radiation risks:
http://www.dep.state.pa.us/brp/radon_division/BEIR VII Preliminary Report.pdf