California Bans Underage use of Tanning Booths

I’ve never had much interest in tanning. Seems like it comes or it doesn’t. It’s probably a product of having more skin than hair on my head, so it really doesn’t seem like it will improve things that much. Because of that, I’ve been in a tanning bed once when they first came out. Just didn’t seem like it was worth the time.

A past study be the University of Minnesota’s School of Public Health and Masonic Center conducted studies on over 2000 users found:

People who used tanning beds 100 times over the course of a 10-year period were found to be roughly 3 times more likely to develop potentially fatal disease compared to those who do not use indoor tanning beds

That works out to 10 times a year, but seems like you really wouldn’t want to get close to the number or anywhere near it. I might even consider not taking any risk at all.

Apparently, the legislature of California has taken these findings to heart. Gov. Jerry Brown announced Sunday that he had signed into law a bill that prevents children under 18 from using the tanning beds. The law takes effect Jan. 1.

Under current law, children 14 and under in California already cannot use the beds, but those ages 15 to 17 can do so with permission from their parents. Illinois, New York, Ohio and Rhode Island have considered an age limit similar to California’s, but have yet to enact them, said the Democrat from Torrance, Calif.

Some other reading worth considering:

FDA Panel Considers Pale-Skin Ban on Tanning Beds, Jane Akre, March 31, 2010 2:14 AM

Tanning Beds Cause Cancer as Much as Smoking Does, Camryn Hansen | July 31, 2009 10:37 PM

Tanning Beds as Deadly as Arsenic, David Mittleman | July 31, 2009 12:34 PM