Do you know anyone who does not own a cell phone? There are a huge number of people, especially those under 30, who do not own a land line. You know, those old fashioned telephones that actually connect with a cord to a phone jack in the wall. There have been reports circulating for years that there might be a link between electromagnetic radiation from a cell phone and cancer. Is that something to worry about?
California Guidelines on Your Cell Phone and Cancer:
Most people do not want to hear about cell phone dangers. They absolutely do not want to consider a connection between their cell phone and cancer. Let’s face it, cell phones have become central to our way of life. New California guidelines on cell phone usage may force a lot of people to reconsider their relationship with cell phones.
Blame it all on Joel Moskowitz, PhD. Dr. Moskowitz is Director and Principal Investigator at the Center for Family and Community Health at the UC Berkeley School of Public Health. He sued the California Department of Public Health to get access to data about radiation from cell phones. He wanted to see what information they had been harboring dating back to 2009. To our surprise, he won his lawsuit.
We suspect that the state of California’s new guidelines about cellphone radiation might have something to do with Dr. Moskowitz’s efforts. To be fair, the guidelines note that the science has not been completed and the data are not conclusive. Nevertheless, the CDPH (California Department of Public Health) notes that there is reason to consider that “high use may impact human health.”
The CDPH on Radiofrequency Energy from Cell Phones:
Here is a link to the California Division of Environmental and Occupational Disease Control of the California Department of Public Health. The overview states:
“Although the science is still evolving , some laboratory experiments and human health studies have suggested the possibility that long-term, high use of cell phones may be linked to certain types of cancer and other health effects, including:
• brain cancer and tumors of the acoustic nerve (needed for hearing and maintaining balance) and salivary glands
• lower sperm counts and inactive or less mobile sperm
• headaches and effects on learning and memory, hearing, behavior, and sleep
“These studies do not establish the link definitely, however, and scientists disagree about whether cell phones cause these health problems and how great the risks might be. This document is intended to provide guidance for those people who want to reduce their own and their families’ exposures to RF [radio frequency] energy from cell phones, despite this uncertainty.”
California Guidelines:
- “Keep your phone away from your body.” They go on to say you should not hold your phone next to your ear when talking. Use the speaker or headphones. Text whenever possible. Do not carry your phone in your pocket, on your belt or in your bra.
- “Reduce or avoid using your cell phone when it is sending out high levels of RF energy.” They note that this occurs when you only have one or two bars. It means your phone is straining harder to make a connection and therefore is putting out more energy. Do not stream live audio or video. That takes more RF energy. Download the files and then switch to airplane mode to watch or listen.
- “Don’t sleep with your phone in your bed or near your head.” A lot of people rely on their cell phone to wake them up. California advises you keep the phone a few feet away or better yet put it in airplane mode.
- “Take off the headset when you’re not on a call.” Very few people realize that headsets put out a little RF energy all by themselves.
We know that these guidelines are going to be almost impossible for a lot of people to take seriously, let alone follow. Most men carry their cell phones in their pocket or in a belt holster. Many women do to. Some women even put their cell phone in their bras. CDPH discourages this.
Children may be more vulnerable than adults. Many young people now have their own cell phones and use them for hours a day. CDPH points out that:
“There is not a lot of research about the effects of cell phone RF energy on children or teenagers, but a few studies have shown that there may be hearing loss or ringing in the ears, headaches, and decreased general well-being.”
The People’s Pharmacy Perspective:
You will likely find this strange, but we have been interested in electromagnetic field (EMF) radiation for nearly 50 years. To learn why, here is a link you may find of interest. It has to do with the Navy, the U.S. Embassy in Moscow and research in a laboratory Joe was working in.
Health Hazards From Hybrids
We have interviewed two researchers who have done thoughtful research on EMF and cell phones. We have not aired these interviews because they were quite technical. Would you be interested in learning more about a link between your cell phone and cancer? If enough people are curious, we will make these interviews available as podcasts if we can find them in our archive. Please let us know in the comment section below. Share your own thoughts on this topic as well.
