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Radon is the number one cause of lung cancer among non-smokers, according to EPA estimates.  Overall, radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer.  Radon is responsible for about 21,000 lung cancer deaths every year.  About 2,900 of these deaths occur among people who have never smoked.  On January 13, 2005, Dr. Richard H. Carmona, the U.S. Surgeon General, issued a national health advisory on radon.

The United Nation's World Health Organization (WHO) says that radon is a worldwide health risk in homes. Dr. Maria Neira of WHO said that "Most radon-induced lung cancers occur from low and medium dose exposures in people's homes. Radon is the second most important cause of lung cancer after smoking in many countries."

Radon is a radioactive gas released from the normal decay of uranium in rocks and soil. It is an invisible, odorless, tasteless gas. Radon Gas seeps up through the ground and spreads in every direction as it enters the atmosphere. Radon can be dissolved in water and released into the atmosphere when the water is used. Fortunately, Radon gas is minimal outdoors. However, in areas without adequate ventilation, such as crawlspaces and basements, radon can accumulate to levels that substantially increase the risk of lung cancer.

Radon that enters your home eventually decays into radon decay elements. It is these decay products that are of concern to us. While radon is a gas, these radioactive elements are solid particles that become suspended in air. As we inhale these extremely small particles, they attach themselves to our lung tissue. Because these particles have very short half lives, our lungs do not have the time to exhale them out before they break down. It is the break down of these particles that releases alpha, beta, and gamma radiation directly into our sensitive lung tissue. Most hazardous of these is alpha radiation. It can kill a lung tissue cell, and/or cause a mutation in the cell’s DNA causing that cell to develop into a cancerous cell. This leads to an increased risk of developing lung cancer over prolonged exposure.