California to Ban Teens From Tanning Booths

[DC09]

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - A state famous for tanned bodies and year-round sunshine would be the nation's first to ban teenagers from artificial tanning booths if a bill passed Thursday by the state Assembly becomes law.

Lawmakers, citing a rise in skin cancer cases in California and across the nation, voted 42-26 to add artificial tanning to teenage no no's that already include smoking, drinking and buying lottery tickets.

Teens often visit tanning salons before proms, vacations and weddings, say owners of an industry that claims 160,000 employees nationally and $5 billion in annual revenue. California is estimated to have 1,500 tanning salons.

Backers of the bill, including the California Society of Dermatology and Dermatologic Surgery, blame tanning salons for part of 1 million new cases of skin cancer diagnosed every year in the United States. The group cited 7,400 deaths annually from melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer.

"There is a big difference between going to the beach and a tanning salon," said the bill's author, Assemblyman Joe Nation, a Democrat. "When kids go to the beach they put on sun screen."

The bill passed despite opposition from tanning salons and Republican lawmakers opposed to "meddling" in personal choices.

"If this bill passes it proves there's no part of somebody's life this Legislature won't stick its nose into," said GOP Assemblyman Ray Haynes.

Heidi Blank, manager of San Diego's Hollywood Tans, said she thought the bill could "hurt my business somewhat. But what are you going to do? There's people bigger than me making those decisions."

She said teenagers account for about 5 percent of her store's clients.

The bill, which now goes to the Senate for consideration, requires teenagers to have a doctor or surgeon's prescription before being allowed to tan indoors.

Along with 26 other states, California already requires permission from parents or a legal guardian for teens 15-18 to use artificial tanning salons. Children 14 and under must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

Article

Good idea. Skin cancer is on the rise everywhere and people still do not understand the dangers of tanning.

[chico del nacho]

the thing that confuses me is that tanning booths in california are apparently popular. it's freakin' california, by yumpin yiminy.

[Falco Rex]

...And Arnolds' new State Government springs into action to solve the real problems in California...

[BurnSide]

Freakin go outside people!!

I can garantee, since it's calif, that all the teenagers are looking at each other going 'now how are we going to tan!?'

[Janiel]

i get tanned just by going to the pool for an hour...tanning booths are for lazy jackholes

[Dancing_Dumplings]

umm i know tannin places are all round and stuff....but why would you wanna go to an atrificial tannin place...when ur in cali!!? lol its cali! sunshine! beaches lol LA lol if u must tan then go to the beach lol get some fresh sea air

[synge]

wow lets pay 50 dollars to get a fake tan, when i could go outside and get a tan in a couple of days.

sad how people take advantages of some things.

[Mekorig]

nop, i prefer the natural way...yes, in that form you have to deal whit a small posibility of skin cancer by UV radiation, whit the other, you have to deal whit chemicals......and i think that the risks of the chemical way are bigger.

[Chauncy]

thats funny eh....Lets take away the possible safer method of tanning, and go make our teens bask in the harmful, melanoma causing radiation of the Sun....seems like Arnie was kissing the less then worthy behind of some nonsense lobby-group.

[Guest Lottie]

Self tanning Lotion is the safest option.

Are these people lazy, blind or just stupid. Why on earth go to a tanning booth and completely ruin your skin when you can slap on a high factor sunscreen and go out and sunbathe for half an hour each day for a week?

[Chauncy]

Why on earth go to a tanning booth and completely ruin your skin when you can slap on a high factor sunscreen and go out and sunbathe for half an hour each day for a week?

I wonder if they also increased funding to bring awareness to the dangers of Sun exposure along with this ban? Educate the teens on these facts if your going to take the tanning beds away, would make rational sense! Turkeys!!

[stillcrazy]

The big thing about tanning salons is the fact that most have private rooms. This is so the patron can hav a full body tan. No tan lines. Can't do that at most beaches.

But it's california, so I don't see the big deal. For a 'liberal' state, they have more laws than most any other state in the nation.

[Cercea]

I think the real question is why would you want a tan? All it is is an increased amount of pigment the skin uses to protect itself from damage. ( UV radiation). Tanning is quite dangerous and pointless.

[freaky6]

I agree with you, most get p***ed when they see they've gotten tanned naturally cuz its uneven, but when people get an artificial tan I feel that they're being fake and those tans don't even look good, especially on very light people cuz they look like damn carrots!

[Benjo Koolzooie]

I don't really appear to get a tan when I am out in the sun (although it is the UK so, chances are the sun is going to be shrouded by clouds). However, I am not really desperate for a tan I would have to use a booth - I don't like the idea. I'd much rather put some fake tan lotion on (and hope the chemicals in it don't do more damage than good )

[AztecInca]

Its only a tan, I`m sure people can survivr without a tan even if they are supposed to be "cool" lol. I mean its easy enough to just spend some time outdoors. I spend some time outdoors in summer and always wear shorts even in winter and my tan doesn`t even fade over winter so just spending a little bit of time outside when the suns out and you`ll get a tan. Just wear sunscreen though