Potassium Iodide (and Potassium Iodate for that matter) is sensitive to moisture in the air and becomes unstable if exposed to the least amount of humidity. Potassium Iodide that is stored in a bottle and opened daily to dispense will immediately start to degrade (oxidize and turn yellow). There goes all your Potassium Iodide just when you need it most!
With 100 - 200 pills in a bottle you'd toss most away!
Don't Buy Too Much.
Contrary to statements on other sites, the FDA recommends only a two-week supply per person. Taking more may lead to an increased risk of hypothyroidism.
If you are exposed to radioactive iodine for two days you take just two doses and stop, saving the remaining foil-sealed tablets for future need. Exposed for 5 days before you can evacuate? Take 5 doses.
Potassium Iodide is not like an antibiotic where you would have to finish the full regimen prescribed.
Winds that brought the radioactive iodine plume into your area would have carried much of the airborne radiation away by then and you would have hopefully evacuated the affected area if directed to do so by health officials.
The danger to exposure to radioactive iodine is short-lived. Radioactive Iodine decays quickly. I-131 (radioactive iodine) has a half-life of 8 days. Meaning every 8 days it's only half as radioactive as it was 8 days prior.
Which would you rather store in your purse, backpack, wallet, glove compartment, briefcase, etc.?
