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NEWSCIENCENEWSCIENCENEWSCIENCE results ‘extremely disturbing’. "Thailand's interior minister is consider- "Brundtland advises everyone to limit "Tt makes one wonder whether children, ing banning the use of cellphones by the amount of time on the phone, but she whose brains are still developing, should be _ teenagers. does not think there is enough scientific using mobile phones,’ he adds. "Purachai Piemsomboon, whose _ evidence to issue a formal warning. "The results show that children's brains campaign against vice has barred teenagers "For herself, Brundtland says that she are affected for long periods even after from pubs and night spots, cited a Japanese gets a headache whenever she uses a very short term use. Their brain wave pat- study which he said concluded that mobile mobile phone. terns are abnormal and stay like that fora phones emitted radiation harmful to brain "In the beginning I felt warmth around long period. This could affect their mood cells and nerves, especially of young my ear. But the discomfort got worse and and ability to learn in the classroom if they people. He said that if teenagers continued _ turned into a headache every time I used a have been using a phone during break time, to ignore the warning, a law might become _ mobile phone,’ Brundtland said in the inter- for instance. necessary to prevent them from using view. 'Making shorter calls does not help,’ "We don't know all the answers yet, but cellphones. He didn't elaborate." she added." the alteration in brain waves could lead to "The interview was featured on the front things like a lack of concentration, memory 10) This item, reporting the views of the page of Dagbladet Norge and was later loss, inability to learn and aggressive WHO Director-General on children and _ picked up by the Swedish press." behaviour.’ mobile phone use, is sourced from "Previously it had been thought 11) The French Government, on that interference with brain waves March 1, 2002, reiterated an advisory and brain chemistry stopped when a ° to users of mobile phones, remindin, call ended. “emer Unfortunately, the Australian them, on a precautionary basis, that. "The results of the study by the 1 I 1 arents should tell their children to Spanish Neuro Diagnostic Research Communications Authority, fimit the use of wireless phones; that Institute in Marbella coincide with a asa promoter of when using an earpiece, pregnant new survey that shows 87 per cent of telecommunications technology, women should keep the phone away 11- to 16-year-olds own mobile . . . from their bellies; and that teenagers phones and 40 per cent of them Is closely allied with the should keep their mobile phone away spend 15 minutes or more talking 7 1 from their developing sex organs. each day on them. And disturbingly, . mobile phone industry and, (Microwave News, vol. XXII, no. 2, 70 per cent said they would not In fact, uses the same PR firms. March/April 2002) change the use of their phone even if advised to by the Government. The Australian authority's view "Dr Hyland plans to publish the The Australian Communications latest findings in medical journal The Microwave News (vol. XXH, no. 2, Authority (ACA) has recently sent out to Lancet next year. He said: 'This informa- March/April 2002, http://www.microwave- _ every school in the nation a pamphlet titled tion shows there really isn't a safe amount news.com): "Mobile phones: your health and regula- of mobile phone use. We don't know what "Dr Gro Harlem Brundtland, the tion of radiofrequency electromagnetic lasting damage is being done by this expo- Director-General of the World Health radiation". In relation to possible health sure. If I were a parent, I would now be Organization (WHO), favours a precaution- effects, the ACA pamphlet states only that extremely wary about allowing my children ary approach to the use of mobile phones, "The weight of national and international to use a mobile even for a very short peri- according to press reports from __ scientific opinion is that there is no sub- od. My advice would be to avoid mobiles.' Scandinavia. stantiated evidence that using a mobile "Dr Michael Klieeisen, who conducted "In an interview with Dagbladet Norge phone causes harmful health effects". the study, said: 'We were able to see in (March 9, 2002), a major Norwegian news- This pamphlet was not written by scien- minute detail what was going on in the paper, Brundtland discouraged children _ tists or medical experts but public relations brain. We never expected to see this con- from using mobile phones. A physician (PR) professionals employed to promote tinuing activity in the brain. We are wor- with a degree in public health, Brundtland the technology. They have identified chil- ried that delicate balances that exist—such _is a former Prime Minister of Norway. dren and young people as a major growth as the immunity to infection and disease— "Jon Liden, a communications advisor in area for taking up mobile phone use and could be altered by interference with chem- Brundtland's office in Geneva, confirmed view evidence of health hazards as a risk to ical balances in the brain." the accuracy of the Norwegian article to profits that needs to be "managed". They "A Department of Health spokesman Microwave News. call it "environmental crisis management". said: "In children, mobile phone use should "Brundtland's outlook appears to put her Unfortunately, the Australian be restricted to very short periods of time." at odds with the WHO International EMF Communications Authority, as a promoter Project. of telecommunications technology, is 9) Channel News Asia's Southeast Asia "Precautionary policies should not be closely allied with the mobile phone indus- News ran this item, titled "Thai minister applied to EMFs,' Dr Michael Repacholi, try and, in fact, uses the same PR firms. mulls cellphone ban for youngsters", on who oversees the project, stated recently Interestingly, most of the PR firms now April 5, 2002 (see http://www.channel- (see MN, Sept/Oct 2001). He could not be working for telecommunications previously newsasia.com): reached for comment. worked (or still do) for the tobacco industry "Thailand's interior minister is consider- ing banning the use of cellphones by teenagers. "Purachai Piemsomboon, whose campaign against vice has barred teenagers from pubs and night spots, cited a Japanese study which he said concluded that mobile phones emitted radiation harmful to brain cells and nerves, especially of young people. He said that if teenagers continued to ignore the warning, a law might become necessary to prevent them from using cellphones. He didn't elaborate." "Brundtland advises everyone to limit the amount of time on the phone, but she does not think there is enough scientific evidence to issue a formal warning. "For herself, Brundtland says that she gets a headache whenever she uses a mobile phone. "In the beginning I felt warmth around my ear. But the discomfort got worse and turned into a headache every time I used a mobile phone,’ Brundtland said in the inter- view. 'Making shorter calls does not help,’ she added." "The interview was featured on the front page of Dagbladet Norge and was later picked up by the Swedish press." whose 10) This item, reporting the views of the WHO Director-General on children and mobile phone use, is sourced from Unfortunately, the Australian Communications Authority, a is closely allied with the mobile phone industry and, in fact, uses the same PR firms. 9) Channel News Asia's Southeast Asia News ran this item, titled "Thai minister mulls cellphone ban for youngsters", on April 5, 2002 (see http://www.channel- newsasia.com): JUNE - JULY 2002 NEXUS ¢ 51 www.nexusmagazine.com