Wireless Devices
PROBLEM: Cell Phones, Wi-Fi, and Other Wireless Devices
The cell phone industry was born in the 1980s. Originally developed for the U.S. military, these devices were never originally tested for safety. In bringing mobile phones to market, the industry’s argument of low-power exclusion—the belief that cell phone radiation does not cause thermal heating—allowed the industry to be largely exempted from regulatory oversight.1
Mobile phone users are exposed to intense levels of radiofrequency (RF) radiation that are significantly higher than those found in the general environment. This is principally because the devices are operated close to the head and deposit a large amount of energy directly into the brain. A cellular phone is basically a radio that sends RF signals to a distant base station—as well as to your central nervous system. Cellular phones generate two types of signals: a near-field plume and a far-field plume. It is the near-field plume that is the cause for concern, as it is generated within 10 to 12 centimeters of the phone antenna. It easily penetrates the tissues of the brain and other organs, such as the hip bone, where 80% of the body’s blood cells are manufactured.
Almost 20 years after cellular communication was introduced to the global market, we are reaching the end of the latency period for cancers to appear, and the scientific evidence is quickly mounting that cell phone use is associated with the development of serious adverse health effects. Swedish researchers recently uncovered a startling and consistent decline in the general health of the population that coincided with the installation of cellular communication towers and the use of mobile phones throughout the country.2,3 In other recent findings, scientists have identified brain tumors and other cancers,4,5,6 alterations in gene expression and genetic damage,7,8,9 adverse changes to the central nervous system,10,11,12 neurological abnormalities,13,14,15 and immunological disturbances.16,17,18
The advent of cellular communications has brought microwaves down from the sky to the street level, integrating these powerful EMF fields into our environment, something that is totally foreign to our bodies. It is postulated that the body responds to these energy fields as invading pathogens, setting in place a cascade of biochemical reactions that cause the release of damaging free radicals, alter the blood-brain barrier, kick start chronic inflammatory responses, and disrupt intercellular communications. The effects of other wireless communication devices, such as Wi-Fi, are believed to be similar, as these devices also radiate microwave signals within the same radiofrequencies as cell phones.19
1 S. Kovach, “The Hidden Dangers of Cell Phone Use,” Life Extension Magazine, August, 2009.
2 Hallberg O., “Adverse health indicators correlating with sparsely populated areas in Sweden,” Eur J Cancer Prev 16, no. 1, p. 1-6.
3 Hallberg O, Johansson O., “Apparent decreases in Swedish public health indicators after 1997-Are they due to improved diagnostics or to environmental factors?”Pathophysiology 16, no. 1, p. 43-6.
4 French PW, Penny R, Laurence JA, McKenzie DR., “Mobile phones, heat shock proteins and cancer,” Differentiation 67, no. 4-5, p. 93-7.
5 Goldsmith JR., “Epidemiologic evidence relevant to radar (microwave) effects,”Environ Health Perspect 105, no. 6, p. 1579-87.
6 Hardell L, Carlberg M, Hansson MK., “Use of cellular telephones and brain tumour risk in urban and rural areas,” Occup Environ Med 62, no. 6, p. 390-4.
7 Belyaev IY, Markova E, Hillert L, Malmgren LO, Persson BR., “Microwaves from UMTS/GSM mobile phones induce long-lasting inhibition of 53BP1/gamma-H2AX DNA repair foci in human lymphocytes,” Bioelectromagnetics 30, no. 2, p. 129-41.
8 Garaj-Vrhovac V, Horvat D, Koren Z., “The effect of microwave radiation on the cell genome,” Mutat Res 243, no. 2, p. 87-93.
9 Kim JY, Hong SY, Lee YM et al, “In vitro assessment of clastogenicity of mobile-phone radiation (835 MHz) using the alkaline comet assay and chromosomal aberration test,” Environ Toxicol 23, no. 3, p. 319-27.
10 Ammari M, Lecomte A, Sakly M, Abdelmelek H, de-Seze R., “Exposure to GSM 900 MHz electromagnetic fields affects cerebral cytochrome c oxidase activity,” Toxicology250, no. 1, p. 70-4.
11 Ammari M, Brillaud E, Gamez C et al., “Effect of a chronic GSM 900 MHz exposure on glia in the rat brain,” Biomed Pharmacother 62, no. 4, p. 273-81.
12 Barteri M, Pala A, Rotella S., “Structural and kinetic effects of mobile phone microwaves on acetylcholinesterase activity,” Biophys Chem 113, no. 3, p. 245-53.
13 D'Andrea JA., “Behavioral evaluation of microwave irradiation,”Bioelectromagnetics 20, Suppl 4, p. 64-74.
14 Augner C, Florian M, Pauser G, Oberfeld G, Hacker GW., “GSM base stations: short-term effects on well-being,” Bioelectromagnetics 30, no. 1, p. 73-80.
15 bdel-Rassoul G, El-Fateh OA, Salem MA et al., “Neurobehavioral effects among inhabitants around mobile phone base stations,” Neurotoxicology 28, no. 2, p. 434-40.
16 Nakamura H, Seto T, Nagase H, Yoshida M, Dan S, Ogino K., “Effects of exposure to microwaves on cellular immunity and placental steroids in pregnant rats,” Occup Environ Med 54, no. 9, p. 676-80.
17 Natarajan M, Vijayalaxmi, Szilagyi M, Roldan FN, Meltz ML., “NF-kappaB DNA-binding activity after high peak power pulsed microwave (8.2 GHz) exposure of normal human monocytes,” Bioelectromagnetics 23, no. 4, p. 271-7.
18 Salama OE, bou El Naga RM., “Cellular phones: are they detrimental?” J Egypt Public Health Assoc, 79, no. 3-4, p. 197-223.
19 S. Kovach, “The Hidden Dangers of Cell Phone Use,” Life Extension Magazine, August, 2009.
