Listen Live
Donate
 on air
    Schedule

    KCRW

    Read & Explore

    • News
    • Entertainment
    • Food
    • Culture
    • Events

    Listen

    • Live Radio
    • Music
    • Podcasts
    • Full Schedule

    Information

    • About
    • Careers
    • Help / FAQ
    • Newsletters
    • Contact

    Support

    • Become a Member
    • Become a VIP
    • Ways to Give
    • Shop
    • Member Perks

    Become a Member

    Donate to KCRW to support this cultural hub for music discovery, in-depth journalism, community storytelling, and free events. You'll become a KCRW Member and get a year of exclusive benefits.

    DonateGive Monthly

    Copyright 2026 KCRW. All rights reserved.

    Report a Bug|Privacy Policy|Terms of Service|
    Cookie Policy
    |FCC Public Files|

    Back to Which Way, L.A.?

    Which Way, L.A.?

    Is Parental Choice a Threat to Public Health?

    Vaccines have largely eliminated measles, whooping cough and other diseases—and a growing number of California parents believe that’s made the world safe enough that their kids don’t need to be immunized. Even advocates for choice admit it’s not good for public health.

    • rss
    Download MP3
    • Share
    By Warren Olney • Sep 9, 2014 • 25m Listen

    Vaccines have largely eliminated measles, whooping cough and other diseases—and a growing number of California parents believe that’s made the world safe enough that their kids don’t need to be immunized. Even advocates for choice admit it’s not good for public health. And, sure enough, measles is coming back, and there’s an epidemic of whooping cough.

    Also, California supplies much of the world with almonds—and each nut requires more than a gallon of water. But almond groves are increasing despite the drought.

    Banner Image: A nurse wearing blue gloves administers a vaccine into a male patient's arm; Credit: Rhoda Baer, National Cancer Institute (NCI)

    • https://images.ctfassets.net/2658fe8gbo8o/AvYox6VuEgcxpd20Xo9d3/769bca4fbf97bf022190f4813812c1e2/new-default.jpg?h=250

      Warren Olney

      former KCRW broadcaster

    • KCRW placeholder

      Claire Martin

      Producer, To the Point/Which Way LA?

    • Sonya Geis with wavy brown hair wearing a black dress with red accents and decorative earrings against a white background.

      Sonya Geis

      Senior Managing Editor

      News
    Back to Which Way, L.A.?