Friday, September 6, 2013

Minors can no longer use tanning salons under new law


1. http://smmercury.com/2013/08/30/minors-can-no-longer-use-tanning-salons-under-new-law/

2.Category* of Problem/Issue identified in article: Health

3. Level of problem/issue: State level

4. This article concerns minors who use tanning beds. Prior to the new law that was passed, minors were allowed to use tanning beds with a parental consent.

5. Why is this important to individuals/families? According to this article, teens who use tanning beds before the age of 18 increase their chances of skin cancer by 85%. By passing the new law, it gives teenagers a chance to become more aware of the harmful risks that tanning involves.

6. What are your views on the issue/policy? I think this law is more than needed. Society today shows women who are tan and skinny as the ideal woman and I think this is a direct correlation of why teen girls feel the need to go to tanning salons. At 16 years old, you don't care about the possible risks that come with your decisions, you want the results quick and easy and laying in a tanning bed for 15 minutes as opposed to being out in the sun all day is just that. Teen girls need to be more aware of the risk factors they could possibly face and even with parental consent I think that this law will give teens a little bit more time to really learn about what they could be facing. I also think it is absolutely ridiculous that being tan is so glamourized. It gives teens a false image that being tan is being beautiful when that is absolutely not true. Society needs to quit harping on looks so much and find what is really important in an individual. It blows my mind that even with all the risks we know are out there, parents still give the consent for their children to be able to expose themselves to such potentially dangerous products. This law will not only give teens a little more time to become educated on the task at hand and require them to make the decision for themselves and not let it be up to their parents.

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