Now that global warmingists are getting governments like the UK and the US to ban incandescent lightbulbs, we're hearing some inconvenient accusations about the bulbs. This time, a January 3 article in the UK's Telegraph said the bulbs may cause migraines (h/t NB reader Linda).
The UK's Migraine Action Association reported that some of its members say the bulbs trigger the headaches. As a result, they want an exception for health reasons included in the UK's ban on traditional incandescent bulbs.
Global warmingists claim that using fluorescent bulbs will reduce carbon emissions and help to stop anthropogenic global warming, but the Telegraph explained the bulbs may be a problem (bold mine):
Several versions use a technology similar to fluorescent strip lights and some migraine sufferers say they produce a flickering effect that triggers their condition.
Karen Manning, from the MAA, said: "When the Government announced that traditional light bulbs would be phased out, we were inundated with over 200 calls and emails from members who said the flickering had caused migraines.
"This is a debilitating condition which can often leave people bed-ridden for days.
"The bulbs do not necessarily affect every sufferer, but we are talking about up to six million people in the UK who suffer migraines - so this is a serious concern.
"We would ask the Government to avoid banning them completely and leave some opportunity for conventional bulbs to be purchased."
Of course, the people who make the bulbs disagree:
The Lighting Association, which represents manufacturers, denied that modern designs produced a flicker.
A spokesman said: "A small number of cases have been reported by people who suffer from reactions to certain types of linear fluorescent lamps. These were almost certainly triggered by old technology."
Migraine sufferers aren't the only people voicing concerns about mandatory usage of fluorescent bulbs. The article also explained that in addition to the few retro-environmentalists who haven't moved on to global warming and still worry about no-longer-trendy toxic chemicals, people with lupus and epilepsy have concerns.
It's always difficult to determine whether claims like these are valid, but this is what happens when governments make sweeping bans on something that is so pervasive in society.
*In the first sentence, replaced replaced "fluorescent" with "incandescent."
*Image Getty via the Telegraph
Lynn contributes to NewsBusters and can be reached at tvisgoodforyou2 AT y a h o o D O T c o m (minus spaces)
