The real issue with cell phones isn't radiation it's texting

[DarthTom]

These types of 'medical alerts,' make me laugh. On the slim chance that cell phones may cause cancer a world wide alert goes out.

The real danger from cell phones - the real measurable one is the thousands of people who die each and every year while trying to drive and talk on the phone and/or text.

MSNBC

LONDON — An international panel of experts says cellphones are possibly carcinogenic to humans after reviewing details from dozens of published studies. The statement was issued in Lyon, France, on Tuesday by the International Agency for Research on Cancer after a weeklong meeting of experts. They reviewed possible links between cancer and the type of electromagnetic radiation found in cellphones,

Texting and driving kills

Traffic jams and death
Cell phone distraction causes 2,600 deaths and 330,000 injuries in the United States every year, according to the journal's publisher, the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society.

 

[Robert Maxwell]

Radio waves are non-ionizing radiation, so they can't cause cancer, even if stand right next to a radio tower.

Cell phone use does result in a lot of car accidents and pedestrian deaths/injuries, though. That is not the fault of the phones but of the idiots who don't know when to put them away.

 

[DarthTom]

Radio waves are non-ionizing radiation, so they can't cause cancer, even if stand right next to a radio tower.

Cell phone use does result in a lot of car accidents and pedestrian deaths/injuries, though. That is not the fault of the phones but of the idiots who don't know when to put them away.

So the people at the WHO are crazy?

 

[Mr Awe]

These types of 'medical alerts,' make me laugh. On the slim chance that cell phones may cause cancer a world wide alert goes out.

You'd be an idiot to toss out something like that. I've seen the stats and they're fairly compelling that something is going on with cellphones and the brain. The difficulty is that it takes 10 years of constant usage to really have an effect in terms of increasing the number of gliomas.

However, lots of studies miss out on the long term effect.

They've also had brain scans of people while using cell phones and have noted an increase in activity in the region right near the phone.

Clearly *something* is going on. There's not enough evidence to say cell phones cause cancer but circumstantially, it does appear to be associated.

Mr Awe

 

[DarthTom]

You'd be an idiot to toss out something like that. I've seen the stats and they're fairly compelling that something is going on with cellphones and the brain. The difficulty is that it takes 10 years of constant usage to really have an effect in terms of increasing the number of gliomas.

However, lots of studies miss out on the long term effect.

A cause and effect is going to be difficult to establish.

Because cellphones are so popular, it may be impossible for experts to compare cellphone users who develop brain tumors with people who don't use the devices. According to a survey last year, the number of cellphone subscribers worldwide has hit 5 billion, or nearly three-quarters of the global population.

I dunno awe. This study is akin for me to the on again - off again- then on again - then off again [which is the latest case] warning that drinking coffee is bad then good then bad then the latest good for you again.

Clearly *something* is going on. There's not enough evidence to say cell phones cause cancer but circumstantially, it does appear to be associated.

Mr Awe

 

[Mr Awe]

They need to design better studies. Yes, it'll be difficult. But, they need to compare levels of usage to levels of brain cancer. It is possible to do. Also, they have found immediate effects on the brain from cell phone usage. They can start to build up the mechanics of how it happens. They can investigate the actual physical causes as it happens. It'll take more research to show if such an effect does exist but, in the meantime, do you really want to take a chance with your brain?

Actually, it is more reminiscent of the the back and forth with the cigarette industry. Smoking causes cancer . . . there's no proof, etc. Who won that one? And, why do you think all cell phone manufacturers recommend that you hold the cellphone at least half an in away from your ear? Because they know that it's too dangerous to have right to your head!

Mr Awe

 

[DarthTom]

They need to design better studies. Yes, it'll be difficult. But, they need to compare levels of usage to levels of brain cancer. It is possible to do. Also, they have found immediate effects on the brain from cell phone usage. They can start to build up the mechanics of how it happens. They can investigate the actual physical causes as it happens. It'll take more research to show if such an effect does exist but, in the meantime, do you really want to take a chance with your brain?

Actually, it is more reminiscent of the the back and forth with the cigarette industry. Smoking causes cancer . . . there's no proof, etc. Who won that one? And, why do you think all cell phone manufacturers recommend that you hold the cellphone at least half an in away from your ear? Because they know that it's too dangerous to have right to your head!

Mr Awe

I use a blue tooth ear piece so quite frankly I'd be interested to read the affect that talking and driving has on one's driving habits then texting and driving, driving while holding the phone to your head or brain cancer from radio waves - because the ear pieces are so inexpensive now there really is no reason for people to hold a cell phone to their head [for driving or brain wave issues] or related to the distraction.

 

[Lindley]

If holding a phone to your head might be dangerous, why do you suppose using a Bluetooth headset would be any safer from an EM perspective?

 

[JoeZhang]

The other thing is - if there is a problem from holding a phone to your head, then it's *our* generation who will experience the most problems as phone (voice calls) usage has been on the decline for a while.

 

[DarthTom]

If holding a phone to your head might be dangerous, why do you suppose using a Bluetooth headset would be any safer from an EM perspective?

I'm assuming that the frequency strength is much less than the power the cell phone has to communicate with a local tower. My headset has a max range of ~100 feet whereas the phone has over 1 mile.

 

[Arrqh]

The key word in what the WHO said is "possibly." They put it into category 2B which is:

This category is used for agents for which there is limited evidence of carcinogenicity in humans and less than sufficient evidence of carcinogenicity in experimental animals. It may also be used when there is inadequate evidence of carcinogenicity in humans but there is sufficient evidence of carcinogenicity in experimental animals. In some instances, an agent for which there is inadequate evidence of carcinogenicity in humans and less than sufficient evidence of carcinogenicity in experimental animals together with supporting evidence from mechanistic and other relevant data may be placed in this group. An agent may be classified in this category solely on the basis of strong evidence from mechanistic and other relevant data.

They're basically saying "there's no evidence yet but we should keep doing studies to be sure." Here is a good non-hysterical article about it :http://arstechnica.com/science/news/2011/05/who-declares-cellphones-possibly-carcinogenic.ars

 

[DarthTom]

TThey're basically saying "there's no evidence yet but we should keep doing studies to be sure." Here is a good non-hysterical article about it :http://arstechnica.com/science/news/2011/05/who-declares-cellphones-possibly-carcinogenic.ars

I understand. But the WHO also hopefully also understands that the general public tends to overact to such proclamations?

For example without any health advisory many people in the general public went out and purchased iodine tablets in bulk in CA, over 4000 miles away after the Japanese nuclear accident.

People often act irrationally to such announcements.

 

[Mr Awe]

If holding a phone to your head might be dangerous, why do you suppose using a Bluetooth headset would be any safer from an EM perspective?

They recommend a wired headset for this very reason.

Mr Awe

 

[BDJ]

I completely agree that "texting" is a major problem. I'm a high school teacher and when I share with my students the dangers of distracted driving several of them actually get angry and very very defensive.

One girl in particular actually responded angrily and adamantly that nothing was ever gonna make her put down her phone! It was her "right!"

With that kind of attitude permeating our youth, I'm fearful for many of us on the road.

Before texting we had to worry that some slob would get on the road drunk and kill us and our family. Now, not only that but, we gotta worry about some teenage girl more worried about texting gossip and not watching the road.

I asked her about my "rights" to travel the roads safely and not having to worry about distracted teenage girls occupied with trivial texts and she said "You're not dead!"

???????

 

[Robert Maxwell]

Maybe I'm just stupid but I can't imagine having the coordination and attention span to pay attention to driving and text people.

 

[DarthTom]

Maybe I'm just stupid but I can't imagine having the coordination and attention span to pay attention to driving and text people.

I don't know about you but I see it every day in my rear view mirror. Next time you're at a light glance at the person behind you and quite often I see people starring at their laps not at the road or straight ahead.

I'm assuming they aren't looking down at their laps just for the hell of it?

 

[Robert Maxwell]

Maybe I'm just stupid but I can't imagine having the coordination and attention span to pay attention to driving and text people.

I don't know about you but I see it every day in my rear view mirror. Next time you're at a light glance at the person behind you and quite often I see people starring at their laps not at the road or straight ahead.

I'm assuming they aren't looking down at their laps just for the hell of it?

Maybe they should take that into account when setting auto insurance premiums. Caught texting while driving? Say hello to a 100% increase!

 

[DarthTom]

Maybe they should take that into account when setting auto insurance premiums. Caught texting while driving? Say hello to a 100% increase!

About 8 months ago this blond bitch rear ended me. She scratched my bumper but pleaded with me not to call the police so what you're suggesting wouldn't happen.

My scratch - her texting - cost her $1 k. That was my price for not calling the police and not reporting it to my insurance.

The scratch cost $100 buffed out at the premium car wash. The rest bought me my new IPad2 a couple months ago.

 

[Robert Maxwell]

Maybe they should take that into account when setting auto insurance premiums. Caught texting while driving? Say hello to a 100% increase!

About 8 months ago this blond bitch rear ended me. She scratched my bumper but pleaded with me not to call the police so what you're suggesting wouldn't happen.

My scratch - her texting - cost her $1 k. That was my price for not calling the police and not reporting it to my insurance.

The scratch cost $100 buffed out at the premium car wash. The rest bought me my new IPad2 a couple months ago.

I would never do that. Always call the police and make sure a report is made. Even if you aren't going to turn it in to your insurance, that documentation can save your ass in court if the other person turns out to be less than trustworthy.

 

[DarthTom]

I would never do that. Always call the police and make sure a report is made. Even if you aren't going to turn it in to your insurance, that documentation can save your ass in court if the other person turns out to be less than trustworthy.

Without going into all the details - we pulled over into a shopping center - the lady called her boyfriend in tears that I was gonna call the police - he came over and asked me how much to not call the police and went to the ATM and gave me $1k to fix my car in cash.

In any case, I see people everyday in my rear view mirror looking down.

Also I dunno about you also but more and more people are delayed at a green light and it's at least apparent to me that delay is more likely than not being caused by their distracted texting and driving habits.