Bill Would Set Limits On Teens In Tanning Beds
Those Under 16 Would Be ****** From Salons
POSTED: 4:47 pm EDT April 5, 2007
UPDATED: 5:46 pm EDT April 5, 2007
BOSTON -- A push is on to put limits on teens when it comes to tanning beds. Those behind the proposed legislation said that the damage done in 30 minutes in a tanning bed is equal to a full day in the natural sunlight.
NewsCenter 5's Amalia Barreda reported that Campus Tan on Huntington Avenue, which gets a largely college-age clientele, said it already has a requirement that anyone under 18 must have parental permission to tan.
"I think it encourages responsibility. But I think it's up to the parent and the ***** to make those decisions," said Joanna Simon, of Campus Tan.
Concerned over the rise in skin cancer rates among younger people, some lawmakers think the state should make the decision about teens. Along with skin experts, they are pushing a bill to make tanning salons off limits for teens under 16. The measure would require written parental permission for minors 16 and over.
"We're seeing women in their late 20s and 30s coming in, and the damage is already done. It's tragic, and we're paying those health care costs -- all of us," Sen. James Timilty said.
"It's a biological experiment that we're doing with tanning beds. Parents need to realize what the potential risk is, and I think it's still unknown," Massachusetts Academy of Dermatology's Dr. Kathryn Bowers said.
"If the government takes this step, are they also prepared to ban ******** under 16 from using Massachusetts' public pools and beaches? It is in these public facilities that ******** are much more likely to get sunburned," the Indoor Tanning Association said in a statement.
Experts said 30 states have some kind of tanning legislation. This proposed bill is more aggressive, although it falls short of what the World Health Organization recommends that no one under the age of 18 should be allowed to use a tanning bed.
Copyright 2007 by TheBostonChannel.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Those Under 16 Would Be ****** From Salons
POSTED: 4:47 pm EDT April 5, 2007
UPDATED: 5:46 pm EDT April 5, 2007
BOSTON -- A push is on to put limits on teens when it comes to tanning beds. Those behind the proposed legislation said that the damage done in 30 minutes in a tanning bed is equal to a full day in the natural sunlight.
NewsCenter 5's Amalia Barreda reported that Campus Tan on Huntington Avenue, which gets a largely college-age clientele, said it already has a requirement that anyone under 18 must have parental permission to tan.
"I think it encourages responsibility. But I think it's up to the parent and the ***** to make those decisions," said Joanna Simon, of Campus Tan.
Concerned over the rise in skin cancer rates among younger people, some lawmakers think the state should make the decision about teens. Along with skin experts, they are pushing a bill to make tanning salons off limits for teens under 16. The measure would require written parental permission for minors 16 and over.
"We're seeing women in their late 20s and 30s coming in, and the damage is already done. It's tragic, and we're paying those health care costs -- all of us," Sen. James Timilty said.
"It's a biological experiment that we're doing with tanning beds. Parents need to realize what the potential risk is, and I think it's still unknown," Massachusetts Academy of Dermatology's Dr. Kathryn Bowers said.
"If the government takes this step, are they also prepared to ban ******** under 16 from using Massachusetts' public pools and beaches? It is in these public facilities that ******** are much more likely to get sunburned," the Indoor Tanning Association said in a statement.
Experts said 30 states have some kind of tanning legislation. This proposed bill is more aggressive, although it falls short of what the World Health Organization recommends that no one under the age of 18 should be allowed to use a tanning bed.
Copyright 2007 by TheBostonChannel.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
