Kennedy praises cell phone bans in schools, for science-backed and tenuous reasons

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. this week aimed at a new target aimed at “make the United States healthy” as part of cell phones in schools.

I An interview with “Fox & Friends” On Thursday, Kennedy praised cellphone restrictions in schools and a list of health risks, which he said was associated with the use of phones in children and adolescents – some have the support of scientific research, others less.

Kennedy cited the links between social media use and depression and poor school performance. But he also suggested that cell phones “produce electromagnetic radiation, which causes nerve damage to children all day long, and causes cellular damage and even cancer.”

Studies have shown that social media may have excessive use by smartphones Adverse effects on the mental health of adolescentsRaising the danger of their sadness and anxiety. Scientists have long been considered to use cell phones in school Could lead to poor academic performanceIncluding The lower levels.

However, most of the research so far has not found any affiliation between cell phones and cancer, nor is there proof that cellphone DNA has been damaged. Cell phones emit radio -frequency radiation, which has less energy than ionizing radiation, as is released by medical X -ray.

Kennedy’s statements follow a sample of it, in which he mixes false information with scientific reality. During his first five weeks, he has highlighted his position, such as reducing chronic illness in children and warning of ultra -processed food risks, widely supporting the public and many scientists. But some factors Kennedy are responsible for these issues and some of its proposed solutions – such as converting beef for seed oils in fast food oils – do not support research.

So, for cell phones in schools. Banning their use is a problem that leaders have accepted both sides of the corridor. Vivek Murthy, while he was a surgeon under the Biden administration last year, Demanded from schools to get rid of the phone in the classroom. Nine states have already applied this way Restrictions or restrictionsAnd 15 states and Washington, DC, have legislated to do so, according to the FF of a non -profit health think tank.

“In the red states and blue states, there is a lot of concern about children and cell phones, so I think it has bilateral support,” said Anat Campbell Anderson, deputy director of John Hopkins Center for Safe and Healthy Schools.

However, the use of your cellphone at the moment is no reason to fear the risk of cancer, said Georld Bishburg, a clinical professor of radiation -oncology at Davis University of California.

He said, “There is very little quality research being done in literature, if you want to gather it all together and keep it together, it will look very harmful.” “There are many workers groups that promote these studies and say that is the truth.”

An HHS spokesperson did not respond to a comment.

What Kennedy says, and what do studies say

Kennedy has repeatedly made uncertainty about the physical disadvantages of cell phones use in the past, including Joe on the Podcast of Rogan Last year

At the hearing of his confirmation in January, Kennedy also told Sen, Andy Kim, DNJ that he was standing with his past statements that Wi -Fi radiation causes cancer, and saying that he has “won the case against the FC against the FC on the same issue.”

The Anti -Vaccine Group, founded by Kennedy, challenged the Federal Communication Commission’s decision to not review the 1996 health and safety guidelines for wireless technologies. An appellate court Decided in favor of the plaintiffs And ordered the FCC to explain how its guidelines protect against the effects of potentially harmful health. However, the matter was about health problems that were not affiliated with cancer, and the court did not take any position on the potential health effects of cellphone radiation.

Bashberg said such research has been “very satisfying” about cell phones.

Most studies have been examined as to whether radiation exposure to cell phones can increase the risk of mental tumor, provided people often talk to their phone while talking. But the overall rate of brain cancer has not increased because cell phones are more widely used. And A big study There was no connection between the use of wireless phones in children and the brain tumor.

National Cancer InstituteFor, for, for,. Food and Drug Administration And Environmental Protection Agency – Kennedy, who now monitors Kennedy – all said that there is not enough scientific evidence to connect cell phones with cancer. However, the International Agency for Cancer Research has rated radio frequency radiation as a potentially carcinic, which means it cannot reject any useful link.

David McCaramak, a professor of biology at the Illinois Institute of Technology, said there were numerous questions.

“I think it is quite clear that Mr Kennedy does not necessarily pay much attention to a large number of scientific data present there,” he said. He said, it is not impossible to have health effects on people using cell phones. ”

A 2017 studyMcCaramic and his fellow researchers exposed mice Radio frequency radiation And some of the tumors found a rising rate – however, in view of many biological differences, the results found in lab animals do not necessarily apply to humans, and studies contain limits that prevent researchers from drawing results.

A decade ago, a Studies saw the use of cell phones Mental tumors found in more than 5,000 people and 10 % of the potential rising risk of tumor who used their phones the most. But this research relied on people’s memories about the use of previous phones, which are not always reliable, so it is difficult to translate the results (such as similar studies).

The use of cell phones has also changed in recent years, which can affect the exposure, McCaramic said. While studies have so far seen the effects of 2G or 3G mobile signals, nowadays high frequency 5G networks are common. And people now send more text if they are not more than their phone, so there is probably less radiation near the brain.

Cell phones banned profession and conform

Despite bilateral cooperation for cell phone restrictions in schools, there is a lot of disagreement in disagreement as these principles should look like.

Phones may have the benefits of living-for example, allowing children to call 911-so some parents are afraid that direct restrictions can endanger their child’s safety. Anderson said policy makers must weigh these concerns against children’s mental health and their ability to focus in the classroom.

He said, “Part of what they are trying to do in schools is to find out that what happened in their school climate because of the phone is to be overcome again.

He added-For example, in schools where cell phones are only connected to the Internet, the right approach is different from school, it can have less meaning.

In his interview on Thursday, Kennedy praised Virginia’s Government Glenn Yingkin, who issued an executive order directing the state education department last year. Prepare guidance for public schools to limit or eliminate the use of phone And to fund these efforts, keep 000 500,000 aside. Kennedy visited a Virginia High School on Monday, which adopted the change, which he said was welcomed by students and teachers.

Kennedy said, “The states that are doing so have found that this is a healthy environment when children are not using cell phones in schools.”

However, before becoming HHS secretary, Kennedy suggested that although he personally supports getting a phone out of school, parents and teachers want to make their own decisions.

“Do we really want the government to decide when, where, and how we talk?” They is written on x In 2023.