A new law in California bans children under 18 years old from using tanning beds. The law will go into effect January 1. Texas has a law banning children under 16 from using tanning beds and 30 other states have age restrictions. Some states allow children to use the beds with their parents’ permission.
The tanning bed industry said this will hurt their business. One supporter of the ban says it is important to have these limits on tanning beds. They also say that avid tanning is particularly popular in the state, especially in affluent areas of Southern California. There are more tanning salons in Los Angeles County than Starbucks coffee shops or McDonald’s fast food restaurants. Skin cancer is “a rising epidemic and the leading cause of cancer death for women between 25 and 29 years old.”
What do you think: Should there be a ban on teens using the tanning bed? Should it be left up to parents?
