Cell phone health concerns addressed by California Department of Public Health

REDDING, Calif. - The California Department of Public Health has issued suggestions for how to reduce exposure to radio frequency energy from phones.

New reports claim the state of California may have kept information about cellular devices providing a cancer risk. On Wednesday, months after a judge ruled the agency had to, the CDPH released a set of guidelines.

The guidelines released were stated as a precaution, but the report notes that the science is not conclusive on this. The report stated:

Although the scientific community has not reached a consensus on the risks of cell phone use, research suggests long-term, high use may impact human health.

The report also speaks about the radiation and its harmful effects. It also mentioned that children are more susceptible to the effects of radiation. People have long suspected that holding a phone too close to your head or other parts of your body may do damage to cells and tissue.

Karen Smith with the CDPH explained this is only half true. Smith said electromagnetic fields, or radiation, are created by cellphones only when they send and receive signals. The safest way to use one's phone is when it's connected to Wi-Fi.  

Although some scientists and health officials believe the electric magnetic fields affect the human body, Smith said there are easy ways to prevent or lessen radiation.

"Keeping your phone further away from you, not keeping it in your pocket, streaming from your cellular service is actually continuous. If you're going to watch a movie stream it with Wi-Fi and watch it with cell service not functioning," Smith said.

Smith added each preventative action will greatly decrease a person's risk of exposure.

"The main concern is the use of cell phones when it comes to children who are often found sleeping with them under their pillow," highlighted Smith.

The conclusion from the CDPH reads that the simplest solution to avoiding over-exposure to radiation would be for people to place their phone further away when possible. A person can also put their cellular device on airplane mode when they aren't connected to Wi-Fi so the phone isn't drawing a signal from a cell tower.