Consumer Group Says Cell Phone Users Should Be Warned Of Health Risk
Central News Agency (Taiwan)
Journalist: S. C. Chang
December 3, 1999
A consumer group said Thursday that cell phones are a health risk, and governments should make it mandatory for the industry to warn users of that fact. Montreal-based Option Consommateurs pointed out that cellular phones put out radiation that travels into the brain. The group cited 15 studies that suggest microwaves from the phones can lead to cell damage and eventually cancer.
The cell phone industry has dismissed the results of the studies. But many users complain of headaches and burning around the face after using them for long periods. Option Consommateurs said the federal government should insist on warning labels on the devices, just as it requires on cigarettes. It also urged the government to force the companies to do more research on the effects of the non-thermal radiation emitted by the phones. Industry analysts predicted that within the next five years, there will be a billion cell phones in use.