Tanning is for Dummies

the Government's Mandate

Protecting citizens is the government's mandate; especially important is protecting young people.  In 2007, Colorado lawmakers blew it:  they failed to keep kids from radiation. 

Yep, radiation.  Like what came out of Chernobyl.  The source is different, but all ionizing radiation causes human cancer.  Colorado politicians had a chance to pass the toughest law in the nation, but went all fetal and whimpered.

Senate Bill 23, an opportunity for both parties to do something right for a change, burned out.  It started as an ultraviolet (UV) tanning parlor ban for kids under 18.  It regressed to a parent consent issue after senate hearings, and even that was later defeated in the house.  Somehow, someone snookered Colorado politicians who voted against this bill.  Perhaps some are too dense.  House Leader Mike May (R) stated: "I thought the bill was so dumb, I just quit following it.  What are we going to do next, require all teens to have sun visors?"

There is a massive difference here.  Government doesn’t often pass laws to control choice of headwear, but does control businesses that exploit and harm children.  25 other states get it—they have restrictions on use of tanning beds by teens.

Shame!  Colorado politicians, you failed your primary task.

Tanning parlor lies

Tanning parlors peddle cancerous radiation to youth all over the nation.   They call it healthy, and encourage pressure on malleable teens to tan before the prom, or to be popular.

Taking cues from big tobacco, they hide behind pseudo-science and half-truths.  The tobacco industry failed following this formula.  They paid big-time, and so will the ultraviolet tanning industry.

The issue

This is an epidemiologic emergency: the rate of melanoma is skyrocketing among childbearing-age women.  This highly deadly cancer has been linked to tanning beds.  Once you have melanoma, there is no known cure, and it can recur decades later.  Insidiously, melanoma can cross a placenta, killing the fetus. 

Melanoma is the worst problem associated with UV tanning beds, but there are many others.  Noticed the aged, speckled, leathery skin on your neighbor sun-baker lately?

Some people argue that the choice to expose children to radiation should rest with parents.  That doesn’t fly for many reasons.  For one, UV tanning is bad.  No soundly thinking parent would allow their child on a field trip to Chernobyl.  Second, teens tend to make up their own minds.  If tobacco were legal for purchase by teens, think many would buy?

UV tanning has been shown to be addictive.  Amazingly, it is advertised in high school newspapers.  Like cigarettes;

• UV tanning is addictive,
• UV tanning causes cancer, and
• UV tanning is directly marketed to children.

I smell lawsuit.  

Laws regarding cancer boxes will eventually change throughout the nation.  With the performance of our government lately, perhaps the tanning industry will first police itself.  Reputable parlors already do.  Unfortunately, indoor UV tanning is still unregulated in Colorado, so it’s mostly up to kids to protect themselves.