The health risks of cell phones...

There has been quite a bit of discussion about the possible health risks associated with too much cell phone use. Initially concerns were focused on the types of batteries and other issues that changes in manufacturing reduced, yet as this Newsweek article points out, there are still some health concerns associated with cell phones. Especially for those who are seemingly attached to their cell phone:

Experts say the concern over cell-phone use stems from a form of radiation that's produced when the devices communicate with their base station. Wireless phones transmit via radio frequency (RF), a low-frequency form of radiation that is also used in microwave ovens and AM/FM radios. While high-frequency radiation (the kind used in X-rays) is known to cause cancer at high doses, the risks of this milder form remain unclear. A cell phone's main source of RF is its antenna, from which it sends a signal to the nearest base-station antenna. The further a cell phone is from the base station, the more RF it needs to establish and maintain a connection. So, the theory is that any risks posed by RF would be greater for people who live and work in areas with fewer base stations. In fact, Israeli researchers reported earlier this month in the American Journal of Epidemiology that long-term cell-phone users living in rural areas faced a "consistently elevated risk" of developing tumors in the parotid gland (a salivary gland located just below the ear) compared with users who live in suburban or urban areas.