Ed Murdoch wrote a letter posted today by the Leader-Post without commentary about wireless smart meters possibly being installed in Regina. He wasn’t thrilled with the idea, I’d say. He writes: “The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared all wireless technology a Class 2B carcinogen. That’s cancer, folks.” (Emphasis mine.)

That seems like something the WHO would be talking about on their own website. How about it?

In fact, due to their lower frequency, at similar RF exposure levels, the body absorbs up to five times more of the signal from FM radio and television than from base stations.

I’m guessing if Murdoch read and believed that, he’d be a lot less upset. On the same page that quote comes from, the WHO also says:

Over the past 15 years, studies examining a potential relationship between RF transmitters and cancer have been published. These studies have not provided evidence that RF exposure from the transmitters increases the risk of cancer.

The LP doesn’t need to post or publish letters like Murdoch’s when they feature material that’s been publicly debunked, and thoroughly at that. A quick search brought me to this Skeptoid post that takes apart claims similar to Murdoch’s.

Basically, I don’t want my grandma getting scared of her internet because of something she read in the paper. And if I do get an e-mail forward from her, saying I should unplug my wireless immediately, I’m sending it to you, Leader-Post, so you can explain to her that it’s nonsense.