"Merry Christmas, Honey, hope you like your present." If it's a cell phone, parents, the British parliament might make you change your mind about what is appropriate to give your kids. It is putting the finishing touches on a brochure, to be included in time for Christmas packaging, warning of the potential dangers of cell phone use, particularly for children. This is the result of a yearlong study by the Independent Expert Group on Mobile Phones headed by Sir William Stewart, Chief Scientific Advisor for Parliament. This committee stated "We conclude therefore that it is not possible at present to say that exposure to RF [radio frequency] radiation, even at levels below national guidelines, is totally without potential adverse health effects, and that the gaps in knowledge are sufficient to justify a precautionary approach."

Further, the panel concluded that children are "more vulnerable because of their developing nervous system, the greater absorption of energy in the tissues of the head and a longer lifetime of exposure... we believe the widespread use of mobile phones by children for non-essential calls be discouraged. We also recommend that the industry should refrain from promoting the use of mobile phones by children." Walt Disney Corp. has withdrawn its agreements with phone manufacturers in light of the above comments.

The warning brochure comes at a time when the public is increasingly skeptical of government's ability to protect the public health while at the same time promote the industry in question. Here, Industry Canada promotes the industry, Health Canada regulates it and Canada Post sells its products. This is a profound conflict of interest!

Health Canada's radiation safety regulations, Safety Code 6, is only concerned with thermal effects. It states that unless the radiating device heats body tissue temperature by 1 degree Celsius within 6 minutes, then it has no effect. This viewpoint is opposed by numerous scientists including Dr. Gerald J. Hyland, Department of Physics, University of Warwick, Coventry, and UK. He writes that guidelines are inadequate because the underlying philosophy is fundamentally flawed that living organisms respond to other aspects of radiation, not just intensity.

Anyone who doubts the radiative power of cell phones can perform an interesting experiment at home. If the phone display shows decent reception, put it in a microwave oven and close the door. Then go to another phone and dial your cell phone number. Chances are that it will ring, even though it is inside a device that shields against microwaves. Think about that next time you hold a cell phone one inch from your brain.

"Currently, the wireless industry funds most of the research into health effects. The industry has the final say in how the research is designed. They also have the contractual power to approve or ban the publication of the research. This may skew the results of published literature in their favor, a particular problem when the same data is used by governments to set health standards".

World -renowned researcher, Dr. Henry Lai from the University of Washington, compiled a list of 101 papers published independently since 1996. 80% showed the effects of low level radiation on living things.

Motorola's published research showed only 20% had effects. I argue that even 20% is a cause for concern.

There are currently 12 lawsuits pending in the US, plus others around the world, claiming brain tumors were caused by the use of cell phones. One filed against Motorola and Verizon by 41 year old Baltimore neurosurgeon Dr. Chris Newman for $700 million US claims that his malignant tumor was caused by his chronic use of the phone when keeping in touch with his patients.

In 1993, a Florida man, David Reynard sued the industry claiming that the fatal brain tumor suffered by his wife Susan was caused by her constant use of her cell phone. Although the lawsuit failed because of lack of conclusive proof of the cause, it did succeed in provoking the wireless industry to set up Wireless Technology Research, funding it to the tune of $25 million US for 5 years of research covering over 50 experiments in 16 different laboratories, overseen by Dr. George Carlo.

In a letter dated October 7, 1999 Dr. Carlo wrote to C. Michael Armstrong, Chairman and CEO of AT&T Corp. in New York, one of a number of companies, which funded the WTR. He expressed his concern that adverse health effects indicated in a number of studies were not being followed up. In fact, he berated the industry for dealing with these concerns through politics and making "false claims that regulatory compliance means safety." Some segments of the industry, he said, "falsely claimed that wireless phones are safe for all consumers including children." He then drew a parallel to the tobacco industry and urged his reader to "not repeat that mistake."

Cell phone industry spin doctors continue to state that there are no health effects yet Lloyds of London refuses to insure the industry against claims for these effects. Lloyds is in the business of assessing long term risk.

Thousands of scientific studies have linked microwave radiation like that emitted from cell phones and transmission towers with short and long term memory loss, confusion, headaches, decreased melatonin production, DNA breakage, fatigue, infertility, tinnitus, altered heart rhythms and cancer. As if this isn't bad enough, the Redelmeier study at the University of Toronto in 1997 showed that drivers talking on cell phones caused four times as many accidents as those not talking on phones.

This is equivalent to driving drunk. This is not caused by simply juggling the phone. "Hands-free" phone use while driving caused six times as many accidents. The ten-fold increase in radiation emitted from speakerphones as opposed to hand held ones is believed to cause the brain to malfunction. Several countries, including Brazil, Australia, Israel and Spain, ban the use of cell phones while driving. Toronto Police Chief Julian Fantino has called for a ban, a stand supported by the Canadian Automobile Association.

Some time ago, researchers suggested that ear buds and microphones be used to keep the phone away from the body. A recent study released by the UK Consumers Association suggested that this hands free kit actually transmitted three times as much radiation into the ear as a hand held phone. If you do use a hands free kit, don't keep the phone in a breast pocket or on your belt, as health risks are not limited to your head. Use a land line wherever possible and avoid using a cell phone where signal strength is weak because the phone automatically cranks up the power to compensate. You should also know that cell phones when turned on check in regularly with their network, so you don't actually have to be talking to be getting exposed.

So, what to give your kids this Christmas? How about some sound advice on limiting their use of cell phones, thus reducing their long-term risk to hazardous radiation.

Milt Bowling is Executive Director of the Electromagnetic Radiation Task Force and a Director of the Health Action Network Society. His phone number is 604 436 2152. He can be e-mailed at miltbowling@telus.net