Clearing The Air

Sunday, May 15, 2005

Science is apparently only useful when it serves the politically correct agenda

On 5/10/05 KSTP 5 cited a study by the U of M (also a recipient of Robert Wood Johnson Foundation funding; a Johnson & Johnson nicotine product pharmaceutical affiliate) which stated workers in bars & restaurants have trace amounts of nicotine in the urine higher than individuals not exposed to nicotine. Of course that's only logical, but presenting only one side of the issue is inflammatory & unfair. And as the 2004 City of St. Louis Park Environmental Health Dept. tests for secondhand smoke proved; median airborne nicotine secondhand smoke is 150 times lower (safer than) OSHA permissible exposure limits (pel).

A nationally known science author is famous for saying "..the poison is in the dose....", which means the human body is exposed to trace amounts of hundreds of potentially lethal substances everyday; but in low doses the human body has an immune and tolerance level which makes that substance harmless.

Example: 1) carbon dioxide is lethal to humans at a concentration of 20%, but with every breath you and I inhale a concentration of 0.0385%; OSHA safeguards employee health regarding CO2 with a permissible exposure limit of 9,000 mg / cu. M. Below 9,000 mg / cu. M but above 0.0385% the human body suffers no ill effects from CO2, even though CO2 will be found in our urine & blood samples. 2) Stainless Steel welding workers are exposed to airborne chromium & nickel among other substances, both heavy metals are considered carcinogens. Therefore during work exposure, these workers' urine & blood samples will contain multiples higher levels of chromium & nickel than a non-welder. But since the workplace is regulated by OSHA permissible exposure limits (pel) for airborne chromium metal for instance at 1 mg / cu. M., as long as the airborne level is below the (pel) even though blood & urine samples indicate there is chromium present, it is at a harmless level.

To be fair these facts should be presented alongside the U of M research story, I'll wait to see if that is the case. The above information was submitted to Brad Sattin at KSTP as well as various local media outlets.