Notwithstanding the lack of any conclusive evidence, the French Ministry of Health, Youth and Sports has reignited the debate over cell phone usage by suggesting that usage of these devices ought to be minimized, especially among the young.
While studies into the health risks associated with cell phones have been conducted by many Governments around the world, no substantive evidence has been found. The French Ministry would appear to be responding to the growing number of school children that are now frequently using handsets, some for extended periods. The Ministry stated "One should use a mobile phone with good judgment, avoid calling when reception is poor, or during high-speed travel, and finally, keep the telephone away from sensitive areas of the body by using a hands-free kit."
The comment about using cell phones during high-speed travel is made more surprising given that its national airline, Air France, has just started trials of in-flight calling on one of its Airbus A318 aircraft.
For more on this story:
- read ARStechnica and The Register