January is:

News:

National Radon Action Month

For information on how to reduce your exposure to radon click here.

For information on the risk of lung cancer from radon exposure, click here.

National Birth Defects Prevention Month

For data and information on birth defects in New Mexico, click here.

Asthma Hospitalizations

Asthma hospitalizations data are now available on the New Mexico Environmental Public Health Tracking Website.

Click here to access the data.

Radon exposure

EPA estimates that about 20,000 lung cancer deaths each year in the U.S. are radon-related and exposure to radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer after smoking. Radon is an odorless, tasteless and invisible gas produced by the decay of naturally occurring uranium in soil and water.

Winter is the season for:

Extreme Cold

This guide from the CDC has information on what steps to take to prepare for a winter storm, safety measures during storms, and the recognition of, and first aid for hypothermia, frostbite and other cold weather health effects.