CELL PHONES AND HEALTH

IT is now widely accepted that cell phone users absorb low frequency radiation from their devices. However, whether that radiation can cause cancer is still not firmly established as various research studies have come to different conclusions. There is some concern among scientists that they could cause harm to the body.

Consumer advocates and some scientists have been expressing concern about the effect of radiofrequency electromagnetic fields generated by mobile phones, whereas the industry calls these concerns alarmist.

Millions of users of mobile phones would have read, with interest, the WHO warning that there is a link between the use of wireless devices and brain cancer. Mobile phone usage had exploded worldwide since the technology was widely adopted in the 1990s. Since then, there have been studies that link mobile phone usage to cancer, and those that deny the link. WHO’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has called for more research into the effect of these radiofrequency electromagnetic fields on human beings. As of now, it has just put the “potentially dangerous” tag on cell phone usage. Cell phone users thus find themselves in the same category as those who consume residues of the pesticide DDT, breathe in air laced with the exhaust petrol engine vehicles and coffee drinkers.
Just as the number of petrol cars and coffee drinkers is rising sharply in India, so is the number of mobile phone users, which now stands at 811.59 million. Have people stopped drinking coffee because of the advisory? Will they give up cell phones? Of course, not. But they can check their exposure to potential health hazards by exercising moderation. Cell phones have provided millions of users with tremendous mobility and are very useful devices. However, those who use these devices extensively would be well advised to limit the length of their calls. Those who have to use cell phones for long hours may do well to heed the WHO advice and use hands-free devices to reduce radiation risks. Progress should not be at the cost of health.