The FCC uses a measurement called specific absorption rate (SAR) to determine the potential risk for human tissues.  Following recommendations from the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), the FCC allows 20 times more radiation to the head than the average amount allowed for rest of the body.  Even more insidious is the fact that cell phone manufacturers conduct cell phone testing themselves or contract it out to a third party, which is an obvious conflict of interest in light of the cancer concerns.  To make matters worse, cell phone manufacturers vehemently protested the release of SAR data until 2000.

Because these flawed guidelines take into account adult SAR limits only, children have not even been considered.  And scientists have discovered that children are even more susceptible to tumors since they absorb significantly more radiation than adults.  The primary reasons for this is because childrens’ skulls are thinner and their tissues have a higher water content, increasing their absorption rate.  These statistics need to be made available to the buyer at the point of sale.

Headsets and Other Wireless Devices

What about popular bluetooth earpieces?  In the U.S., bluetooth technology falls under the list of “low-power, non-licensed radio frequency devices.”  This essentially means that no one really knows the potential effects they may have.  However, research suggests that using bluetooth headsets may decrease the overall levels of SAR exposure to the head.  And according to the American Cancer Society, using a corded headset is one of the easiest methods to limit your SAR exposure.  One caveat though, using bluetooth or wired headsets does not decrease the amount of radiation emitted from the phone itself.  So, it my behoove you to do some due diligence by not only selecting a phone with low SAR numbers but keeping the phone away from your body as well.  Cordless telephones use the same radio frequency that cell phones use, so caution needs to be exercised there as well.

Other devices such as wireless routers, game controllers, baby monitors, etc emit some radiation; however, research in this area is in its infancy.  And at this point, it seems that cell phones are the primary culprit for excess absorption radiation exposure.  With cancer on the rise, I would recommend that you educate yourself regarding the different wireless devices you use day-today and use your own discretion when making a purchase.  For example, I use my laptop daily and I always use a laptop pad, pillow, table or any similar buffer in between my body and the laptop.  I turn my cell phone off during the day and leave it one the table in the evening since the signal from the cell tower is continuous.  These may not be practical for you, so feel free to come up with strategies that fit your lifestyle and limit your exposure.

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