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Health Canada suggests we should “limit the length of cell phone calls”, especially those under 18

By on October 5, 2011 at 8:29am in Mobile News


Canada has over 24.5 million wireless subscribers and Health Canada says that limiting the length of your calls is a healthy choice, especially those who are under 18. In addition, to possibly become healthier they are encouraging you to “replace cell phone calls with text messages or use hands-free devices”. These suggestions are from a Health Canada press release on “Practical Advice on Safe Cell Phone Use”. The report also noted a recent study by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) which indicated cellphones are “possibly carcinogenic to humans”. However, in a very unbiased manner, Health Canada stated “the scientific evidence is far from conclusive”.

Dr. James McNamee of Health Canada said “Really it’s more proactive in encouraging cellphone users to find ways to limit their exposure, and … to empower parents to make healthy choices to reduce their children’s exposure… We want to make people aware that there is some uncertainty in the science, particularly for children, because there have been no long-term studies, or very, very few long-term studies with children… They are often more sensitive to a variety of agents than adults. They’re not little people, in essence. Their brains are still developing, their immune systems are still developing. So you can’t say the risk would be equal for a small adult as for a child.”

Health Canada plans to update their safety guidelines, specifically health impacts of RF energy, in 2012.

Source: Health Canada
Via: Globe

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  4. CWTA: “wireless technologies are not a health risk”

Discussion

11 comments for “Health Canada suggests we should “limit the length of cell phone calls”, especially those under 18”

  1. No surprise there! The radiation emitted (which is probably not that much) has to go somewhere during a call. :)

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 6 Thumb down 3

    Posted by kardi | October 5, 2011, 8:44 am
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  2. some will brush it off, but it’s good to err on the side of caution, especially when there really is no consensus or long term studies on this. quite frankly, I text/email about 99% of the time… rarely actually use voice. come to think of it, i could probably go down to a 50 minute anytime plan and be fine.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 5 Thumb down 1

    Posted by barry | October 5, 2011, 8:48 am
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  3. Those under 18 have nothing to worry about, really. Haven’t seen one of them using their phone to make calls, they’re more keen on texting.

    You could probably sell them a device with no phone function but only a keyboard and screen.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 10 Thumb down 1

    Posted by Zomby | October 5, 2011, 9:13 am
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  4. This radiation stuff is bullshit. Its news for the paranoid.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 7 Thumb down 10

    Posted by Matt | October 5, 2011, 10:06 am
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  5. Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 20

    Posted by JJ | October 5, 2011, 10:19 am
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  6. As a Physicist I will never buy into this “cell phones cause cancer” garbage.

    There has yet to be any scientific proof of this; there is only theories and that is all. I talk on my cell phone for 2-3 hours per day and have done so for the past 15 years and have had not a single issue.

    Cell phones do not cause cancer. Period.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 5 Thumb down 14

    Posted by Adam | October 5, 2011, 10:34 am
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    • If you were really a physicist you would know a single data point from a human witness, that has not been verified by medical data but rather just by their “knowledge” that they are healthy, is useless and does not prove or disprove anything.

      But I guess we can all pretend to be whatever we want on the internet.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 7 Thumb down 0

      Posted by Aaron | October 5, 2011, 8:29 pm

  7. JJ, so should wily people be thanking robellus for dettering us from using our cells? you’re an i***t

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 7 Thumb down 2

    Posted by darylscool | October 5, 2011, 10:36 am
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  8. Not this again. This isn’t 2003 where phones emitted 6-8 SAR at the antenna, nowadays phones has antennas around the body away from the brain and emits roughly 1 SAR. My Desire does 0.96 SAR which is extremely low, it’s actually very rare for someone to get cancer from a cellphone.

    But I do agree, children under 18 should limit it as they are more vulnerable and still growing.

    BTW I can’t remember the last time I actually talked on my cell, I do lots of texting on it, talking is a secondary for me now.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 5 Thumb down 1

    Posted by TeknoBug | October 5, 2011, 10:46 am
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  9. Buy an iphone 4…. the antenna will ensure your calls will be short.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 14 Thumb down 0

    Posted by Harold | October 5, 2011, 11:39 am
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  10. This study is flawed and outdated, the people under 18 aren’t talking on the cell phones, they’re sending sms, bbm’s, tweeting, and updating their Facebook page, get with the program!

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0

    Posted by aka | October 6, 2011, 4:13 am
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