Cell Phones and Radiation

San Francisco lawmakers are about to vote on a rule that requires cell phone retailers to display radiation emitted for phones sold starting in February 2011. This policy would be the first of its kind in a US city, and lawmakers expect that other cities will follow suit. Check out this video from Good Morning America to learn more about it.

There has been considerable controversy over cell phone usage and possible risk of brain cancer. I work for a radiation physicist, and she is very concerned about the long-term use of cell phones to our general health, especially regarding tumor growth and Alzheimer's disease. As was the case with tobacco, we don't yet know the full risk of using cell phones for many decades, and shorter-term study results have been mixed. Furthermore, we are now using blue tooth wireless headsets and other electrical devices near our heads for many of our waking hours.

I admit, I'm a BlackBerry addict, and no one can take my phone away from me. It's important for both my business and personal life, and it allows me to be connected at all times. To play it safe, I use a wired headset as often as possible when talking on the phone, and I switch to speaker phone when that's not feasible. I also try to use a landline (with a wire, not cordless) when I can. Additionally, my husband and I put our cell phones (and other electrical devices) in an adjoining room instead of keeping them by our heads when we sleep. Most importantly, it's absolutely crucial that children avoid cell phone use for as long as they can, since their brains are rapidly developing and are at an increased risk.

We cannot completely avoid all electromagnetic radiation from cell phones and other devices, but it's wise to do everything we can to reduce our exposure whenever possible.