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This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Spanish Abstract All Versions of this Article: AJPH.2006.100602v1 97/9/1589    most recent Submit a response View Shopping Cart Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in ISI Web of Science Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Sidel, V. W. Articles by Levy, B. S. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Sidel, V. W. Articles by Levy, B. S. Related Collections Health Professionals Injury/Emergency Care/Violence Prevention

Victor W. Sidel, MD and Barry S. Levy, MD, MPH

Victor W. Sidel is with the Montefiore Medical Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, and Weill Medical College of Cornell University, New York, NY. Barry S. Levy is with Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Mass.

Correspondence: Requests for reprints should be sent to: Victor W. Sidel, MD, Distinguished University Professor of Social Medicine, Montefiore Medical Center/Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 111 East 210 St, Bronx, NY 10467 (e-mail: vsidel{at}igc.org).

ABSTRACT

Nuclear weapons pose a particularly destructive threat. Prevention of the proliferation and use of nuclear weapons is urgently important to public health.

"Horizontal" proliferation refers to nation-states or nonstate entities that do not have, but are acquiring, nuclear weapons or developing the capability and materials for producing them. "Vertical" proliferation refers to nation-states that do possess nuclear weapons and are increasing their stockpiles of these weapons, improving the technical sophistication or reliability of their weapons, or developing new weapons.

Because nation-states or other entities that wish to use or threaten to use nuclear weapons need methods for delivering those weapons, proliferation of delivery mechanisms must also be prevented. Controlling proliferation—and ultimately abolishing nuclear weapons—involves national governments, intergovernmental organizations, nongovernmental and professional organizations, and society at large.