Use only in nuclear attack/accident

[ArceBandit at 6]

Im from Ireland and a few weeks ago the Irish government gave out Potassium Iodate tablets in case of nuclear attack to every body over 18.
Seeing as im 17 i dont get any ,they gona let my fry or what wheres mine ,no fair lol.
 But tell me what the hell are stupid tablets going to do if a nulear bomb goes of in your back garden.
.My thought is that its a publicity stunt to worry the people,so they get behind the shut down sellefield movement.

Ps.we are tired of getting shafted by the English, shut it down or we will gat Bono on you.
You have been warned Tony.

[SC-Sp00k]

I know little of the Great Irish Potassium Famine. But you guys had one of these before didnt you?  Surely this time its a postive thing to see Potassium in great supply.

[john9001]

bannanas are high in potassium, eat more bannanas

[hawk220]

they will be worthless..you have to take them quite a while before an exposure for them to be effective, I've heard..so when you look outside and see the mushroom cloud..its too late.

[wulfie]

*Disclaimer: Extremely simple explanation due to lack of time to post right now*.

It's not nonsense. To put it very simply, in some cases certain types of iodine allow your body to better 'pass' radioactive particles.

Put it this way - if a dirty bomb went off 2 blocks from your house, or fallout hit your town, it sure as hell would not hurt to take those tablets and it might help.

Mike/wulfie

[deSelys]

In fact, those non-radioactive iodine tablet saturate some of your glands (thyroid) like water in sponges. The benefit is that the gland cannot absorb iodine anymore, and that includes radioctive iodine. This last type of iodine pass thru your body, delivering some harmful rays but doesn't stay into it, delivering the same rays for years.

It is strange that your government doesn't supply those tablets to children as those are the most vulnerable to this type of thyroid damage.

It isn't the miraculous cure, but it is for sure better than nothing.