World Health Organization: Cell Phones cause Cancer

While some media have tried to reduce the scope of the latest confirmation, the results of the studies on the frequent and prolonged use of cell phones is very clear.

By Luis R. Miranda
The Real Agenda
June 1, 2011

The radiation emitted by cell phones causes cancer. Many studies have shown it and today it was time to the first global organization, the WHO, to accept that fact. The World Health Organization now includes radiation emitted by cell phones as a “cancer risk” and places it next to lead, combustion gases and chloroform due to the level of risk.

Prior to the announcement made today, the WHO had assured users, without giving the proper analysis to previous studies, that there were no risks associated with the use of mobile phones. But this time, the most recent study presented evidence so clear and undeniable, that the organization had to issue a statement accepting that the continuous radiation of mobile phones has everything to do with the development of brain cancers.

The latest analysis included 31 scientists from 14 countries including the United States, which decided to participate after scientists reviewed the results of previous studies and realized the magnitude of the problem. “The team found sufficient evidence to classify the personal exposure as” possibly carcinogenic to humans. “

What this means is that at this point there have not been conducted enough long term studies done to reach a clear conclusion about the safety of cell phone radiation, but there is enough data to show a possible connection which users should be alerted about.

“The biggest problem we have is we know that most environmental factors require several decades of study before we can see the consequences,” said Dr. Keith Black, chairman of neurology at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.

According to the study, the radiation emitted by cell phones is called non-ionizing. This means that radiation has an effect like a low-power microwave and not as an X-ray, which exposes people to high concentrations of radiation for a short period of time.

“What phone radiation does in the simplest terms is similar to what happens to food in the microwave; essentially it cooks the brain. Thus, besides leading to development of cancer and tumors, it could create a whole bunch of other negative effects on the cognitive function of memory, because the temporal lobes are exactly where we put the cell phones.”

After the findings in recent studies, calls for caution on the use of cellular phones aren’t scarce, just as it has happened other times, but not many people have given the required attention and continue to use cell phones.

The study about the consequences of cell phone use has produced results that are similar to those that show the malignity of tobacco, for example. In addition to the latest analysis, the European Environment Agency made and continues to perform studies that show that the risk posed by the use of cell phones could be as great as that of smoking. In both cases the health of the user and those who are around is directly and negatively affected. These studies also compared the effects of radiation exposure to other elements such as asbestos and leaded gasoline. In the United States, the director of a cancer research institute at the University of Pittsburgh, expressed concern and urged employees to limit cell phone use.
“When we look at the development of cancer – particularly brain cancer – it is known that it takes much time to develop. I think it’s a good idea to give the audience a kind of warning that prolonged exposure to cell phone radiation could cause cancer, “said Dr. Henry Lai, a research and professor in bioengineering at the University of Washington. Dr. Lai has studied radiation for over 30 years.

The results of the largest international study on cell phone use and its relation to cancer development was initiated in 2010. The main result of the study showed that when participants used a cell phone for 10 years or more, they have double the chance to get cerebral glioma, which is a type of tumor. Despite this result, neither health authorities nor the universities have conducted studies to determine the effects of cellphone use in children, which is the population group with the largest increase in the use of cell phones. In theory, children’s brains would be even more affected by cellphone radiation due to the fact their skulls are not fully developed, which could contribute to a greater cerebral tissue exposure to radiation.

“The skulls of children and the scalp are thinner. So the radiation can penetrate deeper into the brain of children and young adults. Their cells divide more rapidly, so the impact of radiation can be much higher. ” read a statement issues by Black Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.

Although some cell phone manufacturers have warned consumers about the consequences of excessive use of phones and how they should be away from the body when not in use, the reality is that technological progress in our society makes it almost impossible to stop using cell phones or keep them away from the body. More and more companies create applications and programs and people become more and more dependent on the cellular phones and wireless networks, so the trend is that people continue to use mobile phones. Therefore, the warnings of manufacturers of mobile homes on the risk that they pose are as laughable as those of cigarette manufacturers about how smoking is hazardous to health. Both industries know about the harm, but still continue to produce cigarettes and mobiles.

With the number of mobile subscriptions reaching five billion worldwide, it is not difficult to visualize the cancer pandemic that humanity will face in a few years.