Riding a tide of legislators looking to smile, shake hands, tell parents that they’re protecting their kids AND running for office, Michigan jumped on the bandwagon with House Bill 4205, according to MLive, a news site featuring the latest from the state of Michigan. (goo.gl/LVPKkL)
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As Michigan salon operators already know, minors can tan at indoor tanning facilities with parental permission. House Bill 4205, wants to block owners and operators of tanning facilities from serving anyone under 18 who wants to tan indoors responsibly and in moderation. Those operators not complying would face a misdemeanor punishable by up to a $150 fine. Hmm … who’s going to regulate this and provide inspectors? Watch out for upcoming fees and registration procedures!
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Rep. Hank Vaupel, R-Fowlerville, was quoted …“We’re trying to prevent some very serious consequences. This is one of those things we can do to prevent very, very serious diseases down the road.” Well, you need a doctor to add to the push, right? So, let’s grab one. A skin cancer specialist? Nope. Let’s get one from pediatrics. Dr. Lisa Lowery (Division Chief of Pediatric Specialties) from Grand Rapids stated, “There’s often a perception among younger people that indoor tanning is safer than being out in the sun,” noting “people who start using tanning beds as teenagers and young adults significantly increase their risk of skin cancer.”
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A perception that indoor tanning is “safer?” Of course – that’s a tried and true tagline of the anti-tanning zealots. They fling that term around constantly and have done so for years. Our industry is well aware that using the words “safe,” “safer,” or implying health benefits of UV tanning indoors is verboten (sorry, my German kicked in) by the Food and Drug Administration. However, indoor tanning sure does offer moderation and responsibility. Each session is controlled by a timer and administered according to individual skin type, reducing the risk of overexposure and sunburn. And as pointed out in this month’s “Watchdog” piece (go read it after you finish this), there are unintended consequences of such tan bans – such as these banned youths now seeking their tan outdoors, or simply just recreating out in the sun. Think of all the kids playing soccer this spring and summer … and getting fried. Then, let’s add in all the baseball fields, tennis courts, pools, lakes and parks where they will spend time this summer. How many of them will be blasted by the sun’s rays? You think you’ll ever see a bill that regulates your sun exposure? Well, you could, considering the direction that many of your legislators are headed.
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According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, this proposed Bill would have Michigan join 19 other states and Washington, D.C. that have a full ban on minors using tanning salons. (Read more at ncsl.org.)
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Ol’ Hank did acknowledge that many still believe parents should have the final say about their teens tanning indoors … Ya think?
