Reader question about cell phone radiation

We received an email question from a reader about cell phones and Bluetooth headsets:

We read in Newsweek that Bluetooth headsets minimize radiation to the brain, as opposed to holding a cell phone to one’s ear.  We got the children Jabra Bluetooth VBT185Z  headsets. The kids read that only 2nd and 3rd generation Bluetooths have less radiation than cell phones. Is the VBT185Z a 2nd or 3rd generation Bluetooth?  For obvious reasons, we’d like to minimize cell-phone radiation to our children’s brains…
We’d appreciate any information you can give us, on this product or on any better ideas.

 

Our response:

The research on this topic is controversial, but the government’s scientists at the FDA say that wireless phones are probably not a hazard. See http://www.fda.gov/cellphones/qa.html#22.

Obviously, you do reduce exposure to the radio frequency emissions from the phone if you hold it away from your head. Bluetooth headsets do allow you to keep the phone at a distance from your head. The amount of radiation from either the phone or the Bluetooth headset itself is probably not going to be problematic from a health standpoint. But obviously, having a hands-free headset is required for use while driving in NJ.

Hope this is useful to you. Enjoy your new headsets, and don’t worry too much about holding the phone to your ear. I’ve been using cell phones against my head or with headphones for about 20 years and as far as I know, they haven’t affected my health, just my ability to pay attention to conversations involving the people I’m with!