(NaturalHealth365) After becoming the first federal agency to acknowledge the health risks of cell phone use, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has reversed its position, a move suspected to come as a result of pressure from industry lobbyists, other government officials or both, according to a public health advocacy group.
In a Public News Service report, Jim Turner, public interest lawyer and board chair of Citizens for Health, stated, “CDC wasn’t sitting over there and put the thing up the first time and then said, ‘Oh, wait a minute, let’s take it down.’ Somebody alerted them that they wanted it down or there was going to be trouble.”
Why is the CDC changing its position on cell phone radiation?
The CDC had first posted the stronger language regarding potential hazards to children, who have longer lifetime exposure to cell phone radiation , back in June in a FAQ section of its website.
But, by the end of August, the language there and elsewhere on the site had been noticeably softened, a move described by the Public News Service article as, “backtracking language changes” to the site in regards to increased risk of cancer and other health risks, from using cell phones.
Also quoted in the same report, Louis Slesin, editor/publisher with Microwave News, points out that the CDC has bigger issues to worry about than tweaking its language on its website, further raising suspicions that there are outside forces behind the effort to soften the language. He said the changes in word choice are particularly concerning since the original language was not extreme and merely built awareness that a health risk may exist.
There’s good reason to be cautious about radiation-emitting mobile devices
Turner says despite CDC’s softening of the language, the mere fact the agency still acknowledges that more research is needed should be a big enough red flag for the nation’s nearly 328 million cell phone users to learn more about cell phone radiation and its potential health risks.
“For the CDC to say that ‘some organizations recommend caution in cell phone use’ is, in and of itself, a very, very significant statement,” Turner said in the Public News Service report. Slesin added that he does not understand the reasoning behind the CDC backing away from acknowledgement of several international studies suggesting cell phone radiation is a health hazard.
The BioInitiative 2012 Report, prepared by 29 authors from 10 countries – 10 holding medical degrees (MDs), 21 PhDs, and three MsC, MA or MPHs – concludes there is the potential for serious health risks even when exposure to electromagnetic fields and radiofrequency are at very low levels. This form of radiation does increase stress protein production – on a cellular level.
Furthermore, young people are at greater risk of exposure to cell phone radiation. Because of their thinner bones and skulls, some research suggests children may absorb twice as much harmful cell phone radiation as adults, making them particularly vulnerable. Yet young people are often excluded from industry-sponsored research.
So, while giving up your cell phone in today’s society may not be practical, you can reduce your risk by taking the following steps:
1. Try to use text messaging, rather than the calling feature, when possible. Texting emits less radiation and places the phone further away from your brain.
2. Use a headset or speaker.
3. Turn your phone off at night or at least avoid leaving it at a nightstand near the bed.
4. Do not “wear” your phone when it is on. Avoid attaching your phone to your belt loop and don’t place it in pockets or in a bra.
Unfortunately, we are living in a sea of wireless technology – which has been shown to increase the risk of brain tumors and genetic damage. Therefore, it only makes sense, we should do everything possible to minimize our exposure to these health threats.
Of course, you may just want to throw away the cell phone and go back to a ‘land line’. Because, sometimes, the old-fashioned way of doing things is the best way.
References:
http://b4in.us/1wjb0td
http://b4in.us/1kvvirP
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