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Teenagers should refrain from mobile phone use
By siliconindia
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Monday, 19 October 2009, 22:45 IST |
3 Comments
Mangalore: Those younger than 18 years should not use cell phones except for emergencies, says Physician Dr. Srinivas Kakkilaya.
With an estimated four billion people using mobile phones worldwide, there are concerns about health risks associated with its use, in particular a risk for brain cancer.
In a new report, Dr. Kakkilaya warns that regular use of cell phones can result in a 'significant' risk for brain tumours. The report 'Cellphones and brain Tumours: 15 Reasons for concern, science, spin and truth behind Interphone' was released in August by International Electromagnetic Field (EMF) Collaborative, a group that includes Powerwatch and Radiation Research Trust in United Kingdom.
More than 40 scientists and officials from 14 countries supported the report which concludes that there is a significant risk of brain tumour from cell phone use. The danger of brain tumors from cell phone use is highest in children and the younger a child is, the higher is the risk. "Even industry-funded studies have shown that there is a connection between cell phone use and risk of brain tumors," said Dr Kakkilaya.
The issue of cell phone safety was supposed to have been settled once and for all by the 13 nation industry funded Interphone study, which was launched nearly a decade ago.
"The delay also reveals that telecommunications industry is not prepared for the results of the research," said Dr. Kakkilaya. Many reports have denied link between cell phones and brain cancer from experts like the one from John Moulder, Director of Radiation Biology, Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee. But still, many countries like Israel, France, Finland and United Kingdom have issued warnings about use of cell phones and on precautionary measures, especially for children. A new legislation in France even aims at banning advertising of cell phones targeting children younger than 12 years and sale of cell phone.
