Cell Phones Should Come With Warnings, Says Group
CBC News (WebPosted)
March 11, 1999

The next time your cell phone rings, a consumer group wants you to think about more than just answering the call. It says cell phones are a health risk.

It is predicted that within five years, there will be a billion cell phones in use. That worries Option Consommateurs. They say the phones put out radiation that travels into the brain. The group cites 15 studies that suggest microwaves from the phones can lead to cell damage and eventually cancer.

The cell phone industry dismisses the results of the studies. But many users complain of headaches and burning around the face after using them for long periods.

Option Consommateurs says the federal government should insist on warning labels on the devices, just as it requires on cigarettes. It also wants the government to force the companies to do more research on the effects of the non-thermal radiation emitted by the phones.