The Health and Human Services Committee is proposing a bill that will require handset manufacturers to put risk of cancer warnings on mobile phones in Maine.
There have long been reports that cell phone radiation can cause brain cancer, especially in small children. Tests on the matter are usually a mixed bag, that do not give enough proof to say otherwise. That sure doesn’t stop the supporters of the bill from making it known. If the bill passes, this would make Maine the first state to require such warnings on mobile phones.
This is not the first time that this issue has been brought up. San Francisco also has plans to add labels to mobile phones. Mayor Gavin Newson suggests that the font size of the label should be no smaller than the price of the device on the box. This has yet to be seen, but in the near future some sort of warning will be in your face before you buy your new BlackBerry.
Most supporting evidence that cellular radiation indeed does cause problems for people is found in Europe, where mobile phones have been around longer. “Very serious biological changes” can can occur from low-frequency magnetic fields– like the frequencies that come from cell phones. Some go as far to say that it’s the equivalent to “playing Russian roulette every time you answer your phone.”
Opponents of the bill say that there is no concrete evidence to allow this bill to pass,and believe it is more about politics than anything. Senior vice president of the industry group TechAmerica, Kim Allman, stated on the matter that “Scientific evidence so far does not indicate a public health risk.” and later went on, “adding warning labels to cell phones would be misleading and confusing.”
Does it? Does it not? Are you really going to talk on your phone less? Sure there are Bluetooth headsets, and most phones have speakerphones today, but I’m one to want to have my phone in my hand. Plus, who talks on the phone anymore, in this texting world?
[Via: CellularNews ]