Rochester, N.Y.— Young teens who want to get a tan in a tanning bed may soon be out of luck.
Thursday night, the New York State Assembly passed a bill that would ban teens 16 and younger from using a tanning bed. Teens who are 17-years-old will need to get parental permission.
The bill is expected to pass in the State Senate and be signed into law by Governor Andrew Cuomo.
Tanning salons cross the state are saying this new ban will negatively affect their business.
Total Tan in Gates says that they like and abide by the current law on the books that require teens ages 14 to 17 to have their parent’s permission before tanning. They say the expansion of the law goes too far.
“It will definitely hurt our business,” says Jenni Greiner, the Central New York district manager for Total Tan. “We feel that it’s the parents’ right to make those decisions, not the government to make those decisions for parents.”
The American Cancer Society says it isn't 100 percent thrilled with the bill either. They rather see the ban extended to anyone who is younger than 18-years-old. However, they call this new ban a compromise and a “step in the right direction”.
“Teens don’t often understand the effects of indoor tanning beds,” says Nicole LaRose, the community mission manager for Rochester’s American Cancer Society chapter. “As teens get older, they have better judgment and they are less likely to fall victim to peer pressure.”
Tanning salons say tanning is a healthy source of Vitamin D and is safe when practiced in moderation.
According to a study published in “Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention,” people who have used tanning beds are 74 percent more likely to develop melanoma than those who have not.
