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TOPIC:
"How Safe Are Cell Phones?"
If you’re thinking of ringing in the season with the purchase of a new cell phone for yourself or your kids, perhaps you shouldn’t get too caught up in the convenience hype and first look at both sides of the coin by familiarizing yourself with some of the downsides, too.
Everybody loves the convenience of having a cell phone, never being out of touch, always at the ready when the car breaks down, caught in traffic but you can call home to say you’ll be late, etc. For all these reasons and more cell phones have been rushed into the marketplace and sold in the millions as the greatest invention for public safety.
I can think of a few more developments that were rubber stamped as a
benefit to public safety, too, such as mercury fillings and chlorinated water.
What About Static Electricity Fires and Cell Phones?
Concerns about static electricity causing fires at gas stations has risen since early 1999. According to the Petroleum Equipment Institute, there have been over 150 fires in the past two years caused by the discharge of static electricity while fueling vehicles and fires have been reported in 35 states. For this reason the PEI is leading a nationwide campaign to put warning labels on all gas pumps.
What does it take to start a static electricity fire? Just three things. Vapors, air and a spark. Static electricity builds in a cool, dry climate which makes winter the prime time for static fires.
Commonly static electricity can build when you slide across a plastic car seat, but a cell phone can also cause static sparks generated by the high-powered battery inside the phone. This can cause a hazard when pumping gas because the vapors are already there.
If we are to believe that the combination of ringing cell phones and pumping gas are safe, then why do the manufacturers of mobile phones, such as Motorola, Ericsson and Nokia all print cautions in their user handbooks that warn against the use of mobile phones in “gas stations, fuel storage sites, and chemical factories” or indicate that “this telephone has not been designed or approved for use in potentially explosive atmospheres?”
“Potentially explosive atmospheres” would include fueling areas such as gasoline stations, below deck on boats or ferries, fuel or chemical transfer or storage facilities, in vehicles using liquified petroleum gas, such as propane, in areas where the air contains chemicals or particles such as grain dust or metal powders, and any other area where you would normally be advised to turn off the engine of your vehicle. Sparks in any of these areas could cause a fire resulting in bodily injury or even death.
Pacemakers and Cell Phones
Heart pacemakers and cell phones may be a dangerous combination as well. It has been found that cell phones can cause heart-regulating pacemakers to slow down, shut off or even speed up the heart rate. This type of interference usually occurs when the cell phone
antennae rests directly over the pacemaker, so if you have a pacemaker, I’d definitely avoid carrying it around in your breast pocket.
Cell Phones and Driving
What about the distraction of talking on a cell phone while driving? Risk studies have indicated that cell phone use while driving does pose a risk to the driver, to other motorists and to pedestrians.
A National Police Agency of Japan survey found that Japanese drivers using cell phones while driving caused 2297 accidents in 1997, resulting in 25 fatalities and injuries to over 3000.
Another study on road safety in South Africa revealed that out of every four car crashes, one is cell phone related.
A study carried out at the University of Toronto involving 699 drivers who had cell phones and who were also involved in accidents concluded that the risk of accidents increased fourfold when the drivers were talking on their cell phones.
Teens and Cell Phones
Nearly 20 percent of American teens (24 percent of girls, 15 percent of boys) own a cell phone, according to a study conducted this year by Teenage Research Unlimited. That percentage is expected to double in the next year as another 18 percent of girls and 13 percent of boys go wireless.
Cell phones have turned the teen world upside down. School administrators struggle with how to regulate the increasing number of phones kids carry, while marketers leap on new opportunities and parents weigh how to stay connected without incurring major billing charges.
Other Health Related Cell Phone Downsides
A substantial body of research has shown that cell phone use can damage areas of the brain associated with memory, learning, and motor function - and may even trigger Alzheimer's disease.
One European study concluded that the microwaves emitted by mobile phones might cause leakage in the blood/brain barrier, which can lead to radically premature senility! Yet another body of research showed that radio signals from cell phones killed high-level brain cells in laboratory animals.
Recent European research shows that the next generation of ultra-powerful cellular communication technology can cause actual physical symptoms such as headaches, nausea and tingling sensations.
Research from Sweden and Switzerland has indicated that radiation from cell phones disturbs sleep and that those who had used cell phones for up to 10 years had a 26% higher risk of brain cancer.
James Lin, Professor of Bioengineering and Electrical Engineering at the University of Illinois says, “Without question, there is a biological threat. The question is how hazardous cell phone use is.” He notes that it takes nearly a decade for most brain cancers to develop, which is longer than the period of use covered by most studies.
In the meantime, those of you who are avid cell phone users might want to consider getting yourself a radiation shield and a headset that attaches to your phone so you don’t need to hold the phone against your head.
The Debate Continues
Some say cell phone use is harmless to your health, others say cell phone use is potentially disastrous for your health.
The debate continues, but you might want to ask yourself, if there’s no danger to your health associated with the use of cell phones, why are there so many manufacturers now making many different radiation shields for cell phones? Hmmm.
Is it still considered technological advancement if it’s advancing our demise at the same time?
The bottom line is that we really don’t know what the long term effects of cell phone use will be on our health, but you should at least be aware that, although undeniably convenient, the cell phone might come at a much higher price
than you first realized.
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