Casual Analysis
ENG 101
An Apple a Day: The Cause of Personal Illness
During the 21st Century, cell phones, such as the Apple iPhone, have completely turned the lifestyles of human beings upside down. Equipped with extremely fast internet, tons of free and easy-to-use applications, and high-speed texting, people are constantly on their phones Tweeting and Facebooking their friends. The possibilities are endless for what technology can do, but at what price are people willing to pay for these advancements? Has anyone ever stopped and thought, “Maybe this device could have some negative effects on my health?” Cell phones are dangerous to one’s health because they give off radiation and are a distraction while driving a car. Radiation is all over the place, and cannot be escaped. But the amount that one is exposed to can be lowered. Cell phones do not generate large amounts of radiation, but give off an amount similar to that of a large toaster oven. With over 300 million cell phone subscribers in the United States alone, it is not hard to see why this could cause a problem (CNN Health). Tissues in close contact to a radiation-emitting device will absorb radiation, so when one holds a cell phone near their face for an extended period of time, the radiation enters his/her body through the skin (National Cancer Institute). Over the last decade, research on radiation has increased tremendously, but there were no prior studies performed, especially on children. Through recent studies, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has listed cell phones as “possibly carcinogenic to humans.” New studies, launched in 2010, are tracking individuals for twenty to thirty years monitoring their health related to their cell phone use (Cancer Risk). A more visual effect that cell phones have on a person is the distractions they cause while driving. A recent survey concluded that approximately forty percent of all cell phone minutes
Cited: “Cell phones and Cancer Risk.” National Cancer Institute. 16 August 2011. Web. 31 August 2011. http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Risk/cellphones “WHO: Cell phone use can increase possible cancer risk.” CNN Health. 31 May 2011. Web. 29 August 2011. http://www.cnn.com/2011/HEALTH/05/31/who.cell.phones/index.html “Cell Phones and Driving.” Insurance Information Institute. July 2011. Web. August 29 2011. http://www.iii.org/media/hottopics/insurance/cellphones/ “Cell Phones and Driving: Research Update.” Foundation for Traffic Safety. AAA. December 2008. Web. 30 August 2011. http://www.aaafoundation.org/pdf/CellPhonesandDrivingReport.pdf