Health officials: People may want to kick cellphones out of bed

No definitive proof has emerged linking electromagnetic radiation from cellphones to cancer, say California public health officials.

The same leaders contend people might want to rethink keeping their phones powered up on a bedside nightstand or allowing their children to sleep with the devices.

In guidelines aimed at people worried about the radiofrequency energy sent and received by cellphones, California State Public Health Officer Dr. Karen Smith suggests keeping phones away from the body and using them less.

"We know that simple steps, such as not keeping your phone in your pocket and moving it away from your bed at night, can help reduce exposure for both children and adults," she said as part of recommendations released in December.

Echoing health assessments offered by federal agencies, California Department of Public Health officials say research has not brought conclusive proof about radiation from phones. But they also say studies suggest it is possible long-term, heavy use could be linked to brain cancer, lowered sperm counts and impacts that can affect memory, hearing and sleep.

It is also possible children could be hurt more than adults, Smith said, noting that the average age of kids receiving their first phone is 10.

"Parents should consider reducing the time their children use cellphones and encourage them to turn the devices off at night," she said.

The warnings have revived old anxieties, generated new debate and spawned claims by activists that the state for years kept its concerns about cellphones away from the public.

Dr. Chris Landon, director of pediatrics for the Ventura County Medical Center, said he believes enough warning signs exist to warrant caution when it comes to cellphones. He cited an increase in headaches suffered by teenage girls and also noted that adolescents sometimes wake themselves every two hours to check their phones.

"A big cure for these migraines is to take away these cellphones at night," he said. "They're not benign things. They're not something to just keep your child amused."

Government agencies broach the issue of cellphone health risks with caution. Officials at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said more research is needed but also asserted "the weight of scientific evidence does not show an association" between radiofrequency and disease or illness.

A U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website offers advice on reducing exposure to radiofrequency energy but also asserts there is no scientific evidence definitively linking cellphones to cancer or other health problems.

The notion of cellphones posing health risks has been kicked around for several years, said Dr. Lorne Label, a UCLA neurologist in Thousand Oaks. But if the link to health was real, it would bring a spike in certain kinds of cancer.

He hasn't seen such a change.

Some people may choose to err on the side of caution, Label said, but bringing about a significant change in cellphone use represents a steep challenge.

"That's really not going to happen," said Label who keeps his phone within five feet of his bed at night in case of an emergency call from a hospital. "I'm not going to change the pattern yet."

Takes on the issue are nearly as ubiquitous as, well, smartphones. A woman in a Camarillo bookstore admitted she worries about health risks.

"I tell my daughter not to keep her phone in her bra," she said, declining to give her name.

A few hundred yards away, Chris Winands sat outside a grocery store. He doesn't use his phone that often. Even if he did, he wouldn't worry about the health risks.

"We worry about everything in California," he said, suggesting that exposure to cellphones would be past the point of a cure if the health risks prove to be true.

"It is what it is," he said.

Camila Wise, 19, of Camarillo, takes her phone with her everywhere, using it for reminders of appointments and to map her way to the next destination. It's a tool, not a crutch.

"I don't sleep with my cellphone or anything like that," Wise said, adding that she probably won't change her behavior because of speculation about possible risks.

"It feels like not super conclusive," she said.

The state's new public health guidelines come with a back story. In 2016, Joel Moskowitz sued the California Department of Public Health for refusing his public record requests for documents disclosing findings on safety risks related to radiation from cellphones.

Moskowitz, a researcher and a public health center director at UC Berkeley, said the department had put together draft guidelines as far back as 2009.

Early this year, a court ordered the state agency to release documents. The state issued draft versions of its cellphone guidelines this spring, months before releasing the December guidance.

"It's definitely a step forward," Moskowitz said. "It could have been released in 2009. It's about eight years too late. It's certainly better to see it now than not to see it."

Officials for the state Department of Public Health said the litigation did not trigger the newest release of information. In a Thursday email, they said the guidelines were issued because of evidence over the past two years of increased use of cellphones, particularly by young children.

"The science is still evolving," they said, "and the California Department of Public Health continues to study and monitor the data."

Moskowitz thinks the state and other government agencies still underplay the risks of the radiation. He cited more than 200 scientists who have published peer-reviewed research on the issue, including himself.

He does not advocate trying to stop all cellphone use. In fact, he owns one. It usually stays in his briefcase with the power turned off.

"That's probably how cellphones should be used," he said, suggesting the devices should be reserved for emergencies.

He rejects the argument it's too late to worry about radiofrequency energy because exposure has risen so high. He cited the body's ability to repair damage.

"It's kind of like smoking," he said. "If you've been smoking for 20 years, should you give it up? Yes."

Cell phone guidelines

• Keep the phone away from your body.
• Reduce cellphone use when the signal is weak.
• Reduce the use of phones to stream audio or video.
• Reduce theuse in downloading or uploading large files.
• Keep the phone away from bed at night.
• Removecellphone headsets when not on a call.
• Avoid products that claim to block radiofrequency energy because they may increase exposure.

Source: California Department of Public Health