Last night, KAMC 28 did a story about folks in Lubbock rushing to stores and buying iodine pills. Apparently the pills are flying off the shelves due to the fact that people are scared about a radiation cloud from Japan that's making it's way to Southern California.

This is from KAMC 28:

The nuclear scare in Japan is making its way here to the South Plains.

Folks here fear they'll get sick from radiation and local pharmacies are profiting because of it.

The so-called anti-radiation pills are flying off Lubbock store shelves and store managers say they've never seen anything like it.

Potassium iodide is the compound and it releases iodine into your thyroid gland, which lessens the amount of radiation your gland can absorb.

Two stores we talked to have completely sold out of the pills since the earthquake in Japan and they're having an even harder time ordering it in from the manufacturers.

"From about 10:30 to 4:00, I sold out of all the kelp and all the potassium iodide in the store, which was about 50 bottles," Vitamins Plus Manager, Beth Westbrook says.

Jessica Shaw with Well Body Natural Foods says she had one person buy 18 bottles alone.

Seriously? I know Lubbockites over-react to winter storms, but this is a little ridiculous. In 1986 the radiation cloud from Chernobyl reached the west coast in about 10 days and the radiation levels were minuscule. Japan isn't Chernobyl... at least not yet and the cloud that is heading toward the west coast now will be very diluted. Let's not go overboard here and think that the world is ending. Do what you think is smart for you and your family, but remember be smart about it.

I would like to suggest an alternative to iodine pills. Red wine. That's right, red wine can actually help fight against radiation. This is something that I will be looking into and stocking up on. Not only because I enjoy red wine, but also because it will help protect me. Here are two articles( story 1 and story 2 ) dealing with the science of red wine and radiation.

Yeah, I think I'll be drinking red wine before taking iodine pills. But like I said, do what you think is best.

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