Cell Phones Cause Cancer: By Gabrielle Williams!!!

Cell phones have become the ultimate accessory. The use of cell phones has increased at an incredible rate. Everyone seems to have the latest and advanced cell phone. As of 2010, there were more than 303 million subscribers to cell phone service in the United States. While cell phones have had a great effect on the way we live, but users fail to look at the harm from cell phone usage. During the course of the years questions have arisen about the safety of cell phones. Cell phones are known to give off electromagnetic radiation. This essay will open up the dangers, if any, of cell phone practice.
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You may ask what electromagnetic radiation is. Cell phones communicate with nearby cell towers through electromagnetic radiation waves, a form of energy located on the electromagnetic spectrum between FM radio waves and microwaves. Electromagnetic radiation (EMR) is a form of energy similar to that used to cook food in a microwave. Electromagnetic radiation uses waves to travel through the atmosphere. EMR has electric and magnetic fields that surround devices such as cell phones, laptops, and various other electronic equipment. Electromagnetic radiation is classified according to the frequency of its wave which varies from non- ionizing (radio waves and microwaves,) to ionizing (X-rays and gamma rays). Radiofrequency energy is a form of electromagnetic radiation. Electromagnetic radiation carries energy sometimes called radiant energy - and momentum that may be imparted to matter with which it interacts, through absorption of electromagnetic radiation. Cell phones use low frequency radio waves; however scientists are investigating if these ionizing waves could potentially, over time, cause cancer. The question remains how much EMR our brain absorbs when talking on the cell phone. The only known effect of radiofrequency energy is heating. The ability of microwave ovens to heat food is one example of this effect of radiofrequency energy. Radiofrequency exposure from cell phone use does cause heating; however, it is not enough to increase body temperature or break chemical bonds in DNA which is needed for cancer to develop. There has been some unease that radiofrequency energy from cell phones held closely to the head may affect the brain and other tissues. A recent study showed that when people used a cell phone for 50 minutes, brain tissues on the same side of the head as the phones antenna metabolized more glucose than did tissues on the opposite side of the brain.

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Researchers have carried out several types of studies to investigate the chance of a relationship between cell phone use and the risk of brain tumors. In one type of cell phone use is compared between people with these types of tumors and people without them. In another type of study, a large group of people are followed over time and the rate of these tumors in people who did and did not use cell phones is compared. Cancer data can also be analyzed over time to see if the rates of cancer changed in large populations during the time that cell phone use increased affectedly. The results of these studies have in general not provided clear evidence of a relationship between cell phone use and cancer. In the article done by Sue Kovach says that cell phones never went through any types of radiation test. Cell phones have been out since the 1980s, and with all of the radiation they are producing there are over 2 billion users of mobile devices. Kovach said that the two billion users out there are being exposed to the electromagnetic radiation. With theses being exposed to your body it can cause: genetic damage, brain dysfunction, brain tumors, and other conditions such as sleep disorders and headaches. Kovach has also noted that all cell phone carriers are aware of the disease it can cause, and have put a clause in their contracts before a customer purchase them that states you cannot sue the cell phone manufacture or your service provider, or joining a class action lawsuit. Even though the cell phone companies are aware of this information, they do not give out that information to their customers. According to MD Mehmet Oz with the recent reports of the electromagnetic radiation will cause brain tumors. Mehmet also says that if you keep your phone out of your pocket will decrease the risk of having bone density in your pelvis area. It good to keep your children off of cell phones as well because their skulls and bones are still in the developing stage and they are at a higher risk of these diseases. In
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addition to that a recent clip on Larry King live where experts are having a conversation about it on national television, given by Elizabeth Cohen from CNN. According to Cohen the following is some risk factors to be aware of while using your cell phone so that it will decrease your risk of these disease. Use the speakerphone, having the radiation away from your brain will decrease of you getting signs of brain cancer. Use a wired headset with a ferrite bead. This is a clip that you would put on your headset to reduce the radiation. Use a Bluetooth earpiece, this still has some radiation but it is a hundred times less the amount then what you would if you had put your phone up to your ear. Use a hollow tube earpiece; this has no wires or radiation near your ears or brain. Get a phone with less radiation, this is a SAR rate, it determines how much radiation each phone carries. At the end of the day, science cannot say for certain that cell phone usage causes cancer; however with the information that is currently available we now know that the EMR waves are to some level is dangerous. Results from studies are uncertain, however that does not cancel out the fact that carefulness should be used in using cell phones. More studies need to be done to get results, however during this time of 2012 people should consider using a hands free device such as the Bluetooth or putting their phones on speakerphone. Another option to lessen the amount of EMR waves to the brain would be to consider texting as an option to talking. Until further research is performed talk time on cell phones should be limited. My Sources http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Risk/cellphones http://www.cancer.org/Cancer/news/News/study-still-no-linkbetween-cell-phones-and-brain-tumors
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 http://www.colorado.edu/physics http://www.cnn.com/2008/HEALTH/07/31/ep.cell.phones.cancer/inde x.html#cnnSTCVideo http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/healthnews/mobile-phones-more-dangerous-than-smoking-802602.html http://www.lef.org/magazine/mag2007/aug2007_report_cellphone_rad iation_01.htm http://www.oprah.com/health/Dr-Oz-Explains-Cell-Phone-Dangersand-How-to-Avoid-Them http://www.cnn.com/2008/HEALTH/07/31/ep.cell.phones.cancer/inde x.html

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