It's been estimated that, by 2005, there'll be 1.3 billion cellphone users worldwide. And that number will increase from there. With that many cell phones in use, cellphone safety is of utmost importance. Now, you may think, "What can be unsafe about a cell phone?" You'd be surprised!

There are several major areas of concern over cellphone use these days. One is from a medical approach. Another involves cellphones and transportation. And there's yet another concern from a communications standpoint. We'll look at these factors one at a time.

Are cellphones damaging to your health? This is a very controversial topic, with pros and cons stated from both sides. Right now, the general consensus is that there isn't enough hard evidence to show that cell phones can be detrimental to your health.

One factor is cancer and the effect of radiation from cellphones on cancer cells. In recent research, it's been shown that radio waves from cell phones could promote the growth of tumors. When cancerous tumors were exposed to radiation equal to that emitted by a cellphone, the radiation actually killed the cancer cells - but only for the first few days. Then, the process somehow reversed, and the tumor's growth was accelerated by the radiation. There was also possible damage to DNA.

Other research has studied the effects of cellphone radiation to children, with their still-developing brains. Some scientists say that the child's brain, before it's fully-developed, can be damaged by cell phone radiation. Others say that the evidence is inconclusive. Yet more research has led to the conclusion that small amounts of electromagnetic energy, if delivered in a certain way, can have the same effects on the body as a massive dose of chemicals. There's even more uncertainty, but some U.S. scientists say that pregnant women are at risk from cellphone radiation because it affects prenatal development. And then there's the study that's proven that GSM phones cause brain damage in rats. (Not that rats have that much to talk about on the phone, except, "Where's the cheese?") But if it happens to lab rats, they say it can happen to humans.

There are also studies that have found that cell phones MAY cause headaches and memory loss, among other things. The operative word here is "may". Again, the evidence is inconclusive. So the controversy continues, as does the extensive research. All we can say is, act on the side of caution. Cellphones and vehicle use It seems that cell phones are creating controversy in a lot of areas. One of the most talked-about topics these days is cellphone use in vehicles.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), cellphones help save lives because they reduce response times for emergency services. But then the NHTSA turns around and says that cellphones cause crashes by distracting drivers from giving the road their full attention.

Driving does indeed take your full attention. And if you're going to be ready to react quickly in an emergency situation, then you're going to need to be in tune with the road and what's going on around you. There's enough for you to think about while you're driving, like steering, shifting gears, turning your wipers of or on, adjusting your stereo, raising or lowering your window. And then there are other distractions, like talking to someone else in the car, settling down rowdy kids, or just drinking a cup of coffee.

So you can see how much goes through your brain as you're driving. And talking on your cell phone is another distraction - a big one. Cellphone conversations usually take your mind away from the road and you go into automatic pilot. And that's fine, until someone stops suddenly in front of you, or you get cut off, or any number of other things that require your full attention - immediately!

But there is a solution - hands-free cellphone use, usually with a headset.

Using a wireless cellphone headset has many advantages when it comes to cellphone safety. Let's look at a few: Sound quality is better, allowing you to hear the person you're talking to better. And they'll hear you better, too, because the microphone has noise-canceling capabilities that shuts out road and engine noise. Your calls will be shorter because you won't have to repeat yourself so often. And that means less airtime, and smaller bills. Headsets reduce radiation by 80-90%. So use a hands-free cell phone, or a headset, and your cell phone will be a lot safer to use while you're driving. Or take advantage of some of the new that can identify a caller without you looking at the display. And if you don't have any of those things, pull off the road while you're talking on the phone!

Many law enforcement agencies are trying to institute laws making it illegal to use a cellphone while driving. It's already happening in some areas, so be ready with that headset. Cellphone designers and manufacturers are working hard on voice recognition technology for use in vehicles, so that'll relieve some of the problem, too. Cell phones and communications Cell phones are, of course, communication tools. But they can be a big problem for other forms of communication. Like emergency services, for example. There have been many instances of police and fire personnel not being able to communicate over their radios during critical times. Their radios and cell phones operate on frequencies very close to those of cellphones, and a cellphone call can interfere with emergency communications. And ultimately, that could be fatal!

Also working on the problem is Nextel, one of the largest cellphone providers. This problem is of special concern to them because Nextel cellphones operate on the same frequency, or close enough to it, as emergency communications. So you may see some changes there soon. What can you do to protect yourself from cellphone radiation? If cellphone radiation is harmful (and that's a big "if" because they don't really know yet if it does or not) then what can you do to shield yourself from it?

There have been a number of products put on the market that say they'll give you the necessary protection. However, according to the Radio Frequency Safe (RFS) organization, many of these products just don't work.

We'll give you a list here of the products that RFS says don't work:

Leather cases and covers that absorb radiation Antenna shields that absorb radiation Antenna shields that deflect radiation Radio frequency shielded face plates Earpiece shields that deflect radiation Stick-on buttons Badges, chips and stickers Radio frequency sponges

That's a long list, so be careful what you buy. There are such products that do work, but you need to make sure the one you buy is RFS-approved. Cellphone safety is up to you When it comes right down to it, cellphone safety is your responsibility, especially when it's associated with talking while driving a vehicle. Cellphone technology is moving towards safer cellphones, that don't put you in dangerous situations. But you need to do your part in protecting not only yourself, but everyone around you.

As far as the radiation goes, if you believe you're at risk, get online and search out the anti-radiation devices available. And if you don't think it's a big deal, then carry on!