More and more studies are discovering links between cell phone use and tumors. Part I of this article was published last week, you can read it here. As I stated in that post, scientists at the World Health Organization [WHO] conducted a world wide study revealing that just 30 minutes a day of cell phone use for 10 years increased the risk of a rare brain tumor by 40%. This is of particular concern for children because they absorb 10 times the amount of radiation as an adult. Some countries ban children from using cell phones because of the health risk.
Distracted driving isn’t the only reason using a cell phone in the car is dangerous. According to the Research Center for Wireless Technology, when you use a cell phone in the car, the reflective properties of the car’s metal chassis and frame increases the radiation exposure exponentially to everyone in the car, not just the person using the phone. This also occurs inside buses, motor homes and elevators.
The health risks that cell phones potentially cause is an ongoing concern, one that needs more research. We are still using cell phone radiation safety standards that were put in place 17 years ago! The FCC is FINALLY reevaluating them and the Environmental Working Group has launched a campaign to make sure it gets done! Love that EWG! In the mean time, there are steps we can take to keep ourselves safer and limit exposure to cell phone radiation:
- Use the speaker phone when possible
- Only make calls when necessary and keep them short
- Turn the phone off if it’s in your pocket
- Wear an air tube headset – avoid wireless headsets, they intensify radiation to the ear canal
- Allow children to use a cell phone only for emergencies
- If you must use the phone in the car, make sure a window is open
Remember, there was a time when cigarettes were believed to be harmless. Considering what we now know about cigarettes it’s shocking to think that women actually smoked while they were pregnant. It will be interesting to see what we learn about cell phone use in the coming years. Forward this and part I of this article to your friends, anyone who uses a cell phone should be aware of the risks, especially those who have given cell phones to their children.
