Joe Biden was interrupted during his speech at the recent California Democratic State Convention by the same heckler who was escorted out of one of Hillary Clinton’s rallies.

The heckler shouted out, “Cellphones are killing us,” and alleged that the vice president’s son Beau Biden was killed by a tumor caused by radiation from cellphones.

While some might think this was rude and obnoxious of the heckler, many don’t realize that this heckler, Kevin Mottus, a former candidate for Congress, was trying to prove a point – the same point I have been trying to make to the Maine Legislature while testifying at our State House in Augusta to lawmakers in support of numerous cellphone warning label bills that have been introduced in recent years.

Since my husband was diagnosed with a brain tumor six years ago, I have come to learn more about the risks associated with cellphone use that I think the majority of the public is unaware of.

For instance, they are considered a class 2B possible carcinogen by the World Health Organization. Manufacturers of cellphones even say in their owner’s manual to keep the phone a certain distance away from the body when in use.

The red flag, which shouldn’t be ignored, is the American Brain Tumor Association stating on its website recently that brain tumors are now the most common cause of cancer-related deaths in adolescents and young adults.

It is a topic that nobody wants to talk about, but it must be talked about, for our kids’ sake.

Kristen Cobb

Portland