France warns against excessive mobile phone use

[SUBMAN1]

Since we are picking on cell phones today.


-S

By Brian Rohan Wed Jan 2, 4:01 PM ET

PARIS (Reuters) - The French Health Ministry on Wednesday issued a warning against excessive mobile phone use, especially by children, though it recognized science had not proved cellular technology was dangerous.


The appearance on the market of mobile phones designed for children has raised concern since youngsters would be particularly vulnerable to any possible health effects, the Ministry of Health, Youth and Sports said in a statement.


"As the hypothesis of a risk cannot be entirely excluded, precaution is justified," the ministry said.


It recommended using mobile phones in moderation, especially among children, and gave advice on how users could reduce their exposure to any possible risk.


"One should use a mobile phone with good judgment, avoid calling when reception is poor, or during high-speed travel, and finally, keep the telephone away from sensitive areas of the body by using a hands-free kit," the ministry said.


Health Minister Roselyne Bachelot-Narquin said on France 2 television that mobile phones given to children could be useful safety items, but parents should be cautious about frequent use.


"Today, here and now, it does not appear useful to completely do away with, or ban, mobile phones for children ... but in keeping with the principle of caution, I want to inform parents completely," she said.


A November 2006 report from the World Health Organization (WHO) said available evidence suggests long-term exposure to radio-frequency and microwave radiation from mobile phones had no adverse health effects.


However, the WHO said other studies pointed to an increased risk of tumors in people who have used an analogue mobile phone for more than 10 years.


A British study released in September 2007 said mobile phones did not pose short-term health risks, but scientists noted that studies to date included few participants who had used mobile phones for longer than ten years -- the time many cancers take to appear.


The head of France's AFSSET, an independent but state-funded health watchdog, said parents should not give small children mobile telephones.


"Since they aren't capable of limiting their use of the telephone, parents should not buy them mobile phones," Michele Froment-Vedrine told Reuters.


As of September 30, there were more than 53 million mobile users in France, about 84 percent of the population, according to the French telecoms regulator Arcep.


At Orange, France's largest mobile phone operator, no-one was available for comment.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080102/...nce_mobiles_dc

[baggygreen]

Theres nothing terribly new with this though is there...

Theres been arguments back and forth over the potential risks for years, and like it says in the article, noone has been using them constantly for a long enough period of time! At the moment, all we have is guesswork.

[SUBMAN1]

Not too hard to figure out that it is possibly cancer causing though. Lets see, radiation. Radiation causes cell mutation. Cell phones produce .7 watts of radiation. Said radiation is low power, but near ones head constantly. Brain tumors of heavy cell users typically on side of cell phone. Conclusion - possible link between cell radiation and mutated brain tumor. End Rocket Science.

-S

[baggygreen]

Oh yeh, no argument that radiation + cells = badness.

I spose in some ways its different cos its the govt coming out and saying it, and i use earphones for my phone, but the way i look at it is that theres so much around which can kill us, watching tv or cooking in the microwave emits radiation, you know? Im not gonna stress it, anyways.

[TteFAboB]

Cell phones can also make you deaf or otherwise impair your hearing, especially if you start using it as a kid, when your ear is weak and fragile.

Can't find the study on Google though.