Cell Phones May Cause Cancer, Says the

WHO. What to Do?

By Elsa Wenzel, PCWorld
Cell phone radiation might possibly cause cancer, according to the World Health Organization,
which until Tuesday has said there were no health risks. Its International Agency Ior Research on
Cancer has now tied mobile phone radiation to an increased risk Ior glioma brain tumors.
The judgment doesn't stem Irom new research. Instead, a panel oI 31 scientists Irom 14 countries
including the United States spent a week poring over existing studies.
They added radioIrequency electromagnetic Iields to a long list oI "possibly carcinogenic" agents,
including coconut oil, DDT, gasoline exhaust, lead, talcum powder, and titanium dioxide, as well
as some types oI HIV and HPV viruses.
Ionizing, solar, and ultraviolet radiation, by contrast, are classiIied
as "carcinogenic." The next level oI concern is "probably carcinogenic." Wireless phone
radiation Ialls into the third oI Iive ranked categories.
The CTIA wireless industry trade group quickly responded, stating that the classiIication "does
not mean cell phones cause cancer." The FCC and FDA also maintain that there's no evidence to
blame cancer on cell phones.
However, most scientists agree that there's no Iinal verdict on whether mobile phones threaten
health. Because cell phone radiation is non-ionizing--unlike radiation Irom nuclear Iallout or X-
rays--conventional wisdom has held that the only way it harms tissue is when a device overheats.
At the same time, Iew experts say with certainty that using a two-way microwave radio close to
your body is absolutely saIe, either. AIter all, humans at the core are electromagnetic creatures,
so why wouldn't electromagnetic radiation aIIect us?
The WHO panel looked at research including the results oI the decade-long Interphone study,
which generally Iailed to connect brain tumors with cell phone usage. However, the panel noted
that one study tied 30 minutes or more oI talking on a mobile phone each day to a 40 percent rise
in glioma tumors over 10 years. A February study in the Journal oI the American Medical
Association Iound that cell phone radiation changed brain chemistry by raising glucose levels.
Watchdog groups accuse the wireless industry oI essentially turning the world's 5 billion users
into guinea pigs. That includes Devra Davis, an epidemiologist who Iounded the Environmental
Health Trust and wrote the book "Disconnect: The Truth About Cell Phone Radiation." She
suggests that many patients oI rare brain tumors also happen to be heavy cell phone users--like
Sen. Ted Kennedy, who died in 2009.
It doesn't exactly reassure the public that in protesting San Francisco's move to require cell phone
radiation labels, the CTIA moved its annual conIerence to Florida this year.
Given the current state oI evidence, though, the only sureIire way to turn a mobile phone into a
killing machine is to pay more attention to it than the road while driving.
Nevertheless, iI you preIer to exercise caution, these common-sense tips to reduce your radiation
exposure won't harm productivity or make you look like a hypochondriac.
. Use a Headset
You'll get Iar less radiation exposure Irom a headset than Irom a phone pressed to your ear.
Check out these Bluetooth headsets that Iared well in PCWorld's tests. Another option (behind
closed doors, please) is to use your speakerphone. II that's not possible, Iollow the manual. Apple,
Ior one, suggests holding an iPhone Iive-eights oI an inch away Irom your head.
2. Keep the Phone at Arm's Length
Would-be parents might be wise to keep smartphones out oI pockets or belt holsters, since
reputable studies connect Irequent cell phone usage with a decrease in sperm count and quality.
For obvious reasons, there haven't been lab tests exploring how cell phone radiation may aIIect
developing Ietuses. But iI you're pregnant, you're already avoiding tuna and soIt cheese, so why
risk holding a phone close to your belly?
3. Text, Don't Talk
There's less radiation involved in text messaging than in making a phone call. (Just don't text
while walking, since bumping your head will hurt Iaster than any wireless radiation might.)
4. Turn It Off
Even iI you check work e-mail at midnight, there's little need to keep your phone turned on 24/7.
(The science may be Iuzzy on mobile phone radiation, but it's clear that stress and sleep
deprivation harm your health.) Instead oI keeping the handset by your pillow Ior a wake up call,
use a dedicated alarm clock.
5. Keep That Charger Handy
When the battery is running low or you're in a low-signal area, the
phone works overtime and may expose you to more radiation.
. Look for Phones with Low SAR Levels
I have mixed Ieelings about oIIering this advice. SpeciIic Absorption Rate (SAR) levels are
supposed to tell how much radioIrequency energy a body absorbs Irom a device. Yet these labels
are not like calorie counts on a TV dinner. The level isn't necessarily what you get when chatting,
texting, or playing an app on a given phone. Each oI those activities involves constantly varying
levels oI power and signal strength. The FCC explains more about what SAR levels mean. That
said, CNET Irequently updates its list oI the highest and lowest-radiation phones.
. Keep Cell Phones out of the Hands of Children
II non-ionizing radiation aIIects adult brains in ways we still don't Iully understand, it's likely to
aIIect children even more. Their skulls and brains are still developing, so don't treat a cell phone
as a toy. II you're letting your toddler play with it anyway, at least turn it oII or shut oII the signal.
7. Don't Believe the Hype About Radiation-blocking Products
Countless ads hawk devices meant to protect your body Irom electromagnetic Irequencies (EMF).
However, there's no conclusive evidence that an EMF medallion or sticker will work as
advertised or even work at all. In Iact, some oI these products can Iorce a phone to do more work
and emit more radiation to make up Ior a blocked signal.
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