Don't Worry, Be Happy?

IS CELL PHONE RADIATION A REAL CONCERN?



Hi all. I haven't had a lot of time to blog, and this weekend is no different, as my Seattle brother Mike is in town for the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur, and willing to hang out on this beautiful Saturday. We're headed to the dog park off 119th & Quivera, followed by the Plaza Art Fair. If you're in KC, feel free to join us!

However, it would be very remiss of me not to put some information in front of you from the Environmental Working Group [EWG] on cell phone radiation. Apparently, the short term studies were pretty inconclusive, but now that cell phone use is so widespread and has been ongoing for a number of years, the studies aren't looking good.

Unfortunately, the FDA has been a lot slower about reaching conclusions and getting information out to us than some similar agencies in other countries. EWG has reviewed all the available studies and also put together a list of the best and worst cell phones for exposure. You can find all this information at the links below.

I've lifted just an introductory blurb from their pages, but a full research report is available:

"Researchers and public health experts worldwide are engaged in a vigorous debate about whether cell phone radiation can lead to brain cancer (American Cancer Society 2008; FDA 2003; Hardell 2009; IARC 2008, 2009b; Kundi 2009). While earlier, short-term studies did not find an increased risk of brain cancer (Ahlbom 2009; Croft 2008; FDA 2003), studies of long-term cell phone use, published over the last four years, have found an increased risk of developing two types of brain tumors on the ipsilateral side (the side of the brain on which the cell phone is primarily held) among people who used a cell phone for longer than 10 years (Hardell, Carlberg 2006b; Hours 2007; Lahkola 2007; Lonn 2005; Schoemaker 2005; Schuz, Bohler, Berg 2006; Takebayashi 2008):

•Glioma – a typically malignant tumor of the brain that arises from glial cells that provide physical support for the central nervous system;

•Acoustic neuroma – a benign tumor of the vestibulocochlear nerve that innervates the ear.

Two recent studies also reported increased risk of salivary gland (parotid gland) tumors among cell phone users (Lonn 2006; Sadetzki 2008)."

My friend Robyne Stevenson Turner says ignorance is bliss. Unfortunately, it's only bliss until the check arrives. Please check the EWG website, especially if you have children using phones. The effects are more pronounced.

Btw, here's what the stats look like on my old (red!) samsung (see above).

Please notice the effects are split out by those who wear the cell on their bodies, compared to those who hold them to the ear. Although on this phone, it's pretty even.

The web address for the EWG report, and for the radiation information on thousands of cell phone makes and models can be found here: http://www.ewg.org/cellphone-radiation/

addendum: just when I thought I was done blogging for the day and could take off for the dog park, my crazy friend Jim Armstrong gave me the YouTube link below. While I don't think cell phone radiation is funny, I think this video is WAY FUNNY!