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Janice Lieberman: America is a cell phone nation, dialing, texting and ringing, nonstop.
(Inaudible)
Ding?
Yeah?
Hello?
Janice Lieberman: Although we can't live without our cell phones, most people don't know much about them.
I'm not sure if there are health risks with using cell phones.
I'm not sure, this mostly like the radio waves and going to your body. . .
Janice Lieberman: It's time to separate fact from fiction.
Janice Lieberman: Myth No. 1: Cellphone use can cause cancer.
And I'm concerned though I haven't stopped using my cell phone.
I need it, so, ur, hopefully it doesn't.
Janice Lieberman: True or false? We spoke to a neurosurgeon.
Dr. Edward Aulisi: Brain tumors have been diagnosed for a lot longer time (than) cell phones have been around, um, and, ur, there is no clear indication that, ur, the number of brain tumor has gone up. That haven't been said, no one has done a study would have disapproved it either. In general, most of us in the, in the field believe that there is no clear linkage (between) cell phone usage and brain tumors.
Janice Lieberman: And the answer is: I think it's quite unlikely.
Janice Lieberman: Myth No. 2: Using a hands-free cell phone while driving is much safer.
I think definitely using a headset is a lot easier than safer.
I don't think it makes the difference.
Most definitely safer.
Kim Kleman: We asked consumer reports. We had drivers navigate a course once with a hand-held cell phone and once with a headset. It didn't matter whether they had the headset or whether they were holding a cell phone to their ear as to whether they were distracted. It was the conversation that was the this distraction.
Hey, hey, get off the cell phone, concentrate on the road.
Yeah.
Idiot! Still there?
Janice Lieberman: So the answer is: I think it's a myth that hands-free is, is somehow safer than holding a cell phone.
Janice Lieberman: Myth No. 3: Cell phones can detonate bombs.
I do think that cell phone can detonate a bomb.
Oh, yeah, definitely.
I don't know if cell phones can detonate a bomb.
Janice Lieberman: We asked our terrorism expert.
Roger Cressey: They've been used before with the Madrid train bombings in Bali and on (a) number of occasions inside Iraq by the insurgency. And that's something that law enforcement must take into consideration as a potential threat. The most extreme measure, of course, is eliminating the use of cell phones inside tunnels.
Janice Lieberman: And the answer is: That is true.
Janice Lieberman: Myth No. 4: Cell phone use in hospitals can be harmful.
That might have an effect on the emergency equipment.
I think it's ok.
Ur What will happen? Nothing.
Janice Lieberman: We asked the chairperson of the American Hospital Association Committee on information technology, who is also the CEO of Maimonides Medical Center in Brooklyn New York.
Pamela S. Brier: It was widely believed that cell phones interfered with the technical workings of the fancy equipment that now exists in hospitals. As it turns out cell phones have been proved dramatically in the last ten years and they don't really disrupt the high-tech equipment at all. There is only one place in the hospital you can not use a cell phone and that is in the intensive care units.
Janice Lieberman: And the answer: False, they are not hazardous to the machines that are taking care of patients.
Janice Lieberman: And finally, myth No. 5: Cellphone use while flying can down a plane.
Oh, no, you can't use that phone while we are in the plane.
Girl, please. NO, no, no, they say that's ripped you up.
Oh nope
Janice Lieberman: True or false? We went straight to the FAA for this one.
Marion Blakey: We have a little bit of anecdotal evidence from pilots who have suggested they believe there's been interference from time to time in terms of their navigation equipment or their communications on board. But right now, certainly there's nothing that has been in any way or dangerous or catastrophic in the area of cellphone use today. So until we know, that we really do not have any safety problems. We will be cautious.
Janice Lieberman: And if you're wondering about those pay phones already on the planes.
Marion Blakey: Air plane phones are wired differently.
Janice Lieberman: So for this one, the jury's out.
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