The (un)healthy EMF radiation

Although mobile phones have countless practical advantages in today's living, evidence indicating cell phone radiation is a serious health hazard is building up. The mechanism in which EMF radiation from mobile phones actually affects human cells is not completely clear and it will take time and more research to reveal long-term consequences of its impact on human health. Waiting for clear evidence could take decades. Today we know smoking causes lung cancer, however, even 60 years after the first serious testing of cigarette smoke toxicity, we still don't completely understand it. First clear evidence linking cigarette smoke and lung cancer was discovered some 20 to 25 years after the first mass exposure of population to smoking.  Testing cigarette smoke on animals has also been very contradictive at that time and it showed no evidence of being harmful. Only after first symptoms of health problems have appeared in humans, they appeared in animals too.

Epidemiological evidence indicated higher risk from developing cancer in people who have been exposed to cell phone radiation for 30 minutes daily in period of 10 years. Testing mobile phone radiation on animals showed possibility of synergy between EMF exposure and other carcinogens where EMF radiation has increased effects of other carcinogens. EMF radiation has cumulative properties. We are not exposed only to radiation from our cell phones, but also from other various EMF sources such as cell phone towers, power lines and almost any device powered by electricity. All these electromagnetic waves intertwine and our total EMF exposure is significantly higher than amount of radiation coming solely from our phone.

Based on rigorous scientific research and evaluation of existing evidence, International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has declared cell phone radiation "possible" cancer risk. Also, European Environment Agency (EAA) advises precautionary principle when it comes to exposure to cell phone radiation.  

Precautionary principle advises us to wait with caution for more clear evidence on just how harmful EMF radiation is. This principle is not a new thing; it's been used in various occasions where it wasn't possible to clear certain health hazard as safe beyond reasonable doubt. It includes being cautious on EMF exposure and staying informed on new research and evidence on the subject. Cost of practicing precautionary principle and EMF safety is low when compared with the high cost of inaction.

The first generation of cell phone users was not exposed to mobile phone radiation from their childhood. The biggest concern now is what kind of effects will cell phone exposure bring to the new generation of users who are exposed to electromagnetic pollution from their early age. The precautionary principle against EMF radiation is of most importance when it comes to children and pregnant women.  At this point, there may not be enough precise evidence to clearly describe how cell phone radiation damages our health, but the amount of scientific uncertainty is more than enough to raise "red flags" and it's too large to be ignored.