Kansas considering banning minors from tanning beds
The most common form of cancer for people under the age of 30 is melanoma. There’s also evidence that using a tanning bed prior to the age of 35 increases the risk of melanoma by 75 percent. Factor in the roughly 2.3 million teenagers who use tanning beds every year, and you’ve got a bit of a health crisis in the making.
Increasingly, states have been addressing this issue by introducing legislation that would prevent minors from using tanning beds. Illinois, Nevada, Texas, California and Vermont currently ban the use of tanning beds for those under the age of 18. And Kansas might soon be joining them.
The Committee on Health and Human Services recently introduced HB 2435, which proposes that “no tanning facility shall provide access to a tanning device for any person under 18 years of age,” with fines of up to $250 for facilities caught breaking the law. And according to the Topeka Capital-Journal, there appeared to be some consensus about the merit of the bill during discussion in the House yesterday. Even the American Suntanning Association – Big Tan? Big Sun? – supported legislation.
Over in Missouri, a bill has been filed this session that would require written consent from a parent or guardian for anyone 17 years old or younger wanting to use a tanning device.
