Russ Faulkner isn’t worried about whether talking on his cell phone might harm his health. He uses his Apple iPhone even more these days, spending more than 1,000 minutes a month on business and personal calls. “A few years ago there was a study that claimed your alarm clock caused cancer,” jokes the 36-year-old, who owns a corporate training company in Columbus, Ohio, and has used a cell phone for 12 years. “Didn’t ditch that then, either.”
Like Faulkner, most Americans rely heavily on their cell phones and do not expect health problems to result, despite several recent reports that raise concerns about potential risks. Because cell phones emit electromagnetic radiation to make calls, many people worry that radiation can seep into brain tissue, damaging cells and stimulating the growth of tumors.
The amount of time each month that the average wireless subscriber spent talking on a mobile jumped 430 percent, to 12.6 hours, between 1998 and 2008, according to the Cellular Telecommunications & Internet Assn. (CTIA). As handsets gain additional capabilities, people are increasingly using them not only to make calls but also to check weather forecasts, watch videos, and play games. “The weight of scientific evidence has not linked cell phones with any health problems,” the Food & Drug Administration states on its Web site.
The National Cancer Institute echoes that sentiment a bit more tentatively. “Studies have not shown any consistent link between cellular telephone use and cancer, but scientists feel that additional research is needed before firm conclusions can be drawn,” according to NCI.
Mobile Radiation: Like Tobacco Smoke?
Many oncologists say they limit their own cell phone usage, don’t hold mobiles against their ear, and instead use speakerphones, headsets, and hands-free setups. Columbia University associate professor Martin Blank, who has studied the effects of electromagnetic radiation — waves emitted by…