A group of local telecom experts and consumer advocates recently called on the government to take a serious look at the subject and to caution users, especially under-18s, that there could be potential health risks from long-term use.Conflicting reports - more like opposing talking heads. But if there is a chance that it can cause brain cancers - even a slight chance - wouldn't it be wise to get out the word and try to change the product or the use?
The move could be too alarming for a country trying to bridge the digital divide.
Despite being a hot topic of debate for more than a decade, globally speaking, the issue of possible health risks caused by microwave radiation from mobile phones and transmitters has yet to be clarified.
For Thailand, Sumeth Vongpanidlerd, a renowned electrical engineer, believes it is better to be safe than sorry.
"Cellphones became widely available only relatively recently, while tumours can take decades to develop," he said.
"Since we cannot live without the technology, do we have to wait for another 10, perhaps 20 years, for the scientific proof before we take action?"
Dr Sumeth is a member of the Telecommunications Consumers Protection Institute, an arm of the National Telecommunications Commission.
Some independent studies have shown that long-term cellphone use, due to exposure to the radiation, increases the risk of brain tumours and damage to DNA cells. The risk is believed to be higher for under-16s as their relatively thin skull allows the radiation to penetrate deeper into the brain. But numerous other studies debunk such results saying there is no real risk from using the technology.
Sure this is from Thailand, but this issue has been reported here as well.
I guess you can figure out how I feel based on my post of a few days ago.
No comments:
Post a Comment