What is this young woman doing? According to some recent studies, she is not only talking on her cell phone but also asking for a bout of cancer later in life..
Another researcher has issued a warning on the potential harmful effects of using cell phones prodigiously. Over a period of years or decades, heavy exposure to the high frequency microwaves emitted from your portable communication device may be a cause of brain cancer. According to some medical experts, children, whose brains have yet to be fully formed, are most susceptible to harm from prolonged use of their parent-purchased cell phone.
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On Larry King Live the other night on CNN, the panelists were anything but reassuring. They collectively appealed to the public to be cautious. Hours of continuous cell phone use and carrying cell phones in pockets were discouraged. Then, another expert chimed in via satellite and offered a contrary view. His seemingly valid points, which no one on the studio panel contradicted, flatly dismissed the tocsin sounded by his colleagues. First, he said, out of 19 studies conducted to determine whether or not a connection existed between cell phone use and cancer, only 3 suggested the possibility - and those studies were inconclusive. Secondly, he continued, Sweden, the first country to use cell phones two decades ago, has actually seen a decline in cases of brain cancer over the same period. Apparently, some experts have claimed that the high frequency microwaves may actually prevent cancer.
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What should one believe? For now, a relatively cautious approach is advised until more time elapses to assess the long-term impact of mobile communication. Hence, four-hour cell phone conversations should be ruled out - especially for kids.
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How large of an effect would a the label of 'carcinogen' on cell phones be to the planet? First and most obviously, the 12% profit increase posted by Verizon last quarter would be significantly reversed until a 'cancer-safe' phone was invented. Sprint, the Apple IPhone, and Nokia, the Norwegian telecommunications behemoth, would also suffer devastating losses.
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More significantly, the world economy could be sent reeling due to decreased business communication. Rural areas, which tend to rely more on satellite transmissions, would be the most adversely impacted economically.
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In fact 1 out of every 3 people alive today owns a cell phone with more than 2 billion in operation worldwide. Statistics on the number of cell phones in usage by country (latest figures 2005-06) illustrate our dependence on non-landline communication and the enormity of a potential cancer risk. Note the following data from the InfoPlease Almanac:
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Country/# of Cell Phones
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1. European Union - 466 million
2. China - 437 million
3. United States - 219 million
4. Russia - 120 million
5. Japan - 94 million
9. India - 69 million
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Again, these numbers are already 3 years old, and India, which now has more than 1 billion people inside its borders and one of the fastest growing economies in the world, has seen its number of cell phone users multiply exponentially every year.
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The thought that a perfectly innocent innovation could be as deadly as smoking cigarettes is disturbing. Hopefully, the latest round of warnings will ultimately amount to much ado about nothing. In the meantime, cell phone companies, users and global businesses would do well to develop communication contingency plans for the sake of both people and profit.
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J Roquen