The jury’s still out on whether or not cell phones are as dangerous as
pop rocks.
Is the belief that cell phones can cause brain tumors a sound theory or on par with some of the other great urban legends? According to a recent study published in the April 12th edition of Neurology, it’s probably somewhat akin to the theory that a Coke-and-pop-rocks combo will make your head explode, though the scientists didn’t use such colorful language.
The study, led by Danish doctor Christoffer Johansen, seems to show that there is no link between cell phone use and brain tumors, though Johansen seems to admit the findings are far from conclusive. Johansen said his study doesn’t offer any advice — in either direction — about cell phone use. Fox News reports:
Cell phones don’t cause brain tumors, as far as scientists can tell at this point, says a study in Neurology’s April 12 edition.
The findings echo previous research. “These results are in line with other large studies on this question,” says Christoffer Johansen, MD, PhD, DMSc, in a news release.
“There have been a few studies that found an increased risk of brain tumors with cell phone use, but those studies have been criticized for problems with the study design,” says Johansen, who works at the Danish Cancer Society in Copenhagen.
Long-term effects of cell phone use aren’t known yet, Johansen cautions. Hardly anyone in his study had used a cell phone for more than a decade.
Nathan Novak at 10:43 am
