Indoor Tanning Beds

The number of Americans visiting tanning salons has increased dramatically in the U.S. On average, two million Americans tan indoors every day, and more than 30 million tan per year. In 2009, the World Health Organization moved UV radiation from tanning beds to the list of the most dangerous forms of cancer-causing radiation. In making its decision, the WHO cited research showing that tanning is especially hazardous to young people; those who use sunbeds before age 35 increase their lifetime risk of melanoma by 75 percent. Additionally, people who use tanning beds are 2.5 times more likely to develop squamous cell carcinoma and 1.5 times more likely to develop basal cell carcinoma.

Some in the public health community compare indoor tanning—a $5 billion a year industry—to the tobacco industry: both tobacco and tanning are associated with cancer and other health risks; both are sold as providing positive social benefits; and both get their customers when they are young and less concerned about the long term health risks.

Indoor Tanning Legislation for 2012

Click on the link below to view a list of states that have legislation proposed for 2012 to ban indoor tanning for minors.  Also available is a list of states that currently have passed legislation to ban minors for using indoor tanning facilities. http://www.aimatmelanoma.org/en/aim-for-a-cure/legislative-accomplishmen...

Pediatric Control of Tobacco and Tanning Beds:

On October 5th and 6th, 2011, researchers and advocates interested in pediatric control of tobacco and tanning beds met to seek a common consensus of strategic next steps required to implement and enforce a ban on tanning beds for minors. Click on the link at the bottom of this page to view a brief summary of the meeting. For further information, please email Alan Geller at ageller@hsph.harvard.edu.

Additional Resources:

• American Academy of Dermatology. (2010). Indoor Tanning Fact Sheet. Retrieved May 16, 2010, from http://www.aad.org/media/background/factsheets/fact_indoortanning.html

• American Academy of Dermatology. (2010). Darker Side of Tanning. Retrieved May 16, 2010, from http://www.aad.org/public/publications/pamphlets/sun_darker.html

• Health Physics Society. (2010). Tanning Salons. Retrieved May 16, 2010, from http://www.hps.org/documents/Tanning_Salons_Fact_Sheet.pdf

• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. (2009). RadTown USA: UV Tanning Equipment. Retrieved May 16, 2010, from http://www.epa.gov/radtown/tanning-equipment.html

• World Health Organization. (2010). Ultraviolet Radiation and the INTERSUN Programme. Retrieved May 16, 2010, from http://www.who.int/uv/en/

• World Health Organization. (2009). Tanning Beds as Deadly as Mustard Gas. http://www.skincancerprevention.org/Research/TanningBeds/tabid/108/Default.aspx

• U.S. Food and Drug Administration. (2009). Radiation-Emitting Products: Tanning. Retrieved May 16, 2010, from http://www.fda.gov/Radiation-EmittingProducts/RadiationEmittingProductsandProcedures/Tanning/default.htm

• National Cancer Institute. (2004). NCI Health Information Tip Sheet for Writers:
  Artificial Tanning Booths and Cancer. Retrieved May 16, 2010, from http://www.cancer.gov/newscenter/tip-sheet-tanning-booths

• CITY100: Controlling Indoor Tanning in Youth. (2008). Retrieved May 16, 2010, from http://indoortanningreportcard.com/cancerconnection.html

• Skin Cancer Foundation. (2010). Tanning. Retrieved May 16, 2010, from http://www.skincancer.org/Tanning/

References:

1. Hillhouse, J, Turrisi, R, & Shields, AL. (2007). Patterns of Indoor Tanning Use: Implications for Clinical Interventions. Archives of Dermatology, 143(12), 1530-1535.
2. Lazovich, D & Forster, J. (2005). Indoor Tanning by Adolescents: prevalence, practices and policies. European Journal of Cancer, 41, 20-27.
3. Skin Cancer Foundation. (2009). Tanning Beds: WHO Issues Official Warning. Retrieved May 16, 2010, from http://www.skincancer.org/tanning-beds-who-issues-official-warning.html
4. World Health Organization. (2010). Sunbeds, tanning, and UV exposure. Retrieved May 16, 2010, from http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs287/en/

Related Files: 

Pediatric Control of Tanning Beds