Cell Phones more deadly than Cigarettes? Will higher taxes, insurance premiums and ban be in order?

Associated Content ^ | March 31st, 2008 | Bobby Tall Horse

[stillafreemind]

Dr. Khurana says there may be broader health ramifications than asbestos or smoking. What? Now just think about that. Again, I foresee a huge higher tax on cell phone use and a higher health and life insurance premium. And maybe people (like me) that don't use cell phones unless its an emergency, would rather not be seated in bars and restaurants where cell phones are in use. Ah, can you say ban?

[gondramB]

As I understand it the radiation spreads inversely with the cube of the distance. So the difference between 1 cm and 20 cm away is 8000:1

[Appleby]

Ditto. The ones I see glued to their electronic binkies are generally twentysomethings, or in the supermarket they are thirtysomething daddies whose kids are dismantling the shop and screaming for goodies.

I think there is a good argument for the deleterious effects of second-hand cell phone fallout though; it frequently causes me to have homicidal thoughts, especially in the movies and at church!

[fremont_steve]

I read the basic article - and I have problems with the conclusions.

The big one is that cellphones have morphed significantly in the last 10 years. 10 years ago we were using 700 Mhz FM radios putting out 1W or there abouts. Now we’re using 1.8 Ghz (I believe..) spread spectrum phones putting out 100-300mW. The energy/Hz is extremely small for the new radios.

Further, the higher the frequency - the less depth penetration it is going to have into a solid media (read skin..) (Depth penetration being a function primarily of wavelength...which is smaller at higher freqeuencies ..)

Lastly - and mostly anecdotally - it seems like most of the ham radio operators I know are at LEAST 80 years old - looks more like RF is life preserving! ;-)

I’m treating this like global warming.

[fanfan]

Were your speakers on?

[Hoof Hearted]

"I remember rumors that television would cause cancer. Anyone else remember this?"

I would have except my TV gave me eye and ear cancer and I passed away.

[steve-b]

[uglybiker]

And one wonders.

And one wonders if this is the same bunch of yahoos who claimed that you can get cancer from living near high voltage power lines...or from drinking coffee.....or....

[chris_bdba]

I’m probably the last person on the planet without one of those annoying things but please forgive me for smirking thinking of all of the annoying people who yell into them in resturants not being around soon.

[stuartcr]

Thay transmit rf also.

[Gabz]

And one wonders if this is the same bunch of yahoos who claimed that you can get cancer from living near high voltage power lines...or from drinking coffee.....or....

YUP!!!!!

[stuartcr]

There is no rf being transmitted with a landline and a speaker phone is just a phone with amplified audio, whether cordless, landline or cellular.

[stuartcr]

It wouldn’t be much of a receiver if it wasn’t on.

[Hoof Hearted]

"I watch the old I’ve Got a Secret Show - Gary Moore and the guests are smoking up a storm. Back in the 50’s and 60’s and before smoking was considered safe especially with filters and the industry squashed all the studies saying otherwise. But humans liked the nicotine impact on their emotions and so they ignored it all."

You must be very young and read this somewhere. I was around in the 50's and 60's and everyone with a functioning brain knew about the dangers of smoking cigarettes. They didn't need the government to make it 'official'.

Of course there were - and still are - those who deny the effects of smoking cigarettes, but there will always be people who are dumb on purpose.

[stuartcr]

Tell him to turn the AC on.

[ichabod1]

What happens when it rings, for pete’s sake it seems like it does that about every thirty seconds.

[Eleutheria5]

High taxes, lawsuits, yes. Subsidies for factories, yes. Ban, no.

[Hoof Hearted]

If this is true, since cell phones have been in use for over 22 years, we should see a lot of folks keeling any day now.

At least it will help ease the social security and Medicare cost overruns with so much of the population having killed themselves by using their cellphones too often, right?

[Don W]

That’s my point exactly! The amount of radiated energy (EMF) is insignificant when held against the skull. The energy absorbed decreases geometrically as distance increases. Then there’s the blocking effect of hair, skin, cartilage and bone to factor in.

Anyone who wishes to be cautious or even paranoid, I have no argument with. However, anyone who wants to impose their fear on the public is likely in for a very nasty fight. I was one of the legions who fought against the smoke Gnatzis and their use of this exact method, and we lost. I’m watching it occur with AGW, and now cellphones, and am wholly disgusted with what we have wrought by failing to watch our own.

On the side: the “warping” of your monitor’s screen image can be even more pronounced if you take a simple magnet and play with it near the screen. After all, that’s all electricity is: the interaction between magnetic lines of force and conductors. Radio waves are a combination of the two (they have both magnetic effects and are energetic).

Do you know anyone who’s ever been harmed by a simple magnet?

[Hoof Hearted]

"Do you know anyone who’s ever been harmed by a simple magnet?"

Yes, I have a friend who knows a guy who's brother's best-friend's sister in law's neighbor's aunt was killed by an small but angry magnet.

You can look it up! (sarc off)

[ichabod1]

How can cell phones be more of a distraction than a backseat full of screaming fighting children? I find most of the distraction is just the normal distraction experienced when talking to someone while driving. Yes, there is a bit more manipulation involved, but I refer you back to the soccer mom with the soccer team in the back. We’ve all seen the example of driving down the road while simultaneously giving a spanking, hung halfway over the backseat.