California Bans The Use Of Tanning Beds For Minors
| October 10th, 2011
October 10, 2011 When Governor Jerry Brown signed State Bill 746 into law Sunday, California became the first state to ban the use of tanning beds for children under 18 years of age. The Oakland Tribune reports that the new law will take effect January 1st of next year. Under current law, the state of California says that it is illegal for children 14-years-old and younger to use the beds, while teens between the age of 15 and 17 need only their parent’s permission to tan. The author of the bill, Senator Ted Lieu, remarked after the bill passed that although 30 other states have restrictions on the age in which children can use indoor tanning facilities, the new law gives California the highest age limit in the country. Every year, as many as 2.5 million teens tan indoors in the United States, increasing their risk of developing melanoma by 75 percent. Research by the Skin Cancer Foundation has uncovered that those who use tanning beds are also 2.5 times more likely to develop squamous cell carcinoma, and 1.5 times more likely to develop basal cell carcinoma. The California Defective Product Attorney with Berg Injury Lawyers are happy to see that law makers are taking steps to keep our youth safe and healthy. They would also like to encourage current tanning bed users to consider the health risks involved in tanning.
