Schwarzenegger Signs Law Banning Children From Tanning Salons

[matcom]

<snip>

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - California's perpetually buff Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (news - web sites) has signed a bill barring children under 14 from going to tanning salons in his sunshine-filled state.

California lawmakers backed the legislation in May citing concerns by dermatologists who blame the artificial light in tanning booths for contributing to a rise in skin cancer.

Violators could be liable for a fine of up to $2,500. Teenagers between the age of 14 and 18 need a note from their parents to go to a tanning salon.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=573&ncid=573&e=5&u=/nm/20040927/od_nm/tan_dc

[nickinSTL]

1. Is this a big problem? In California?

A lot of children going to tanning salons?

'course, I've never been a devotee of the tanned look, but WHY?

And don't the lawmakers of CA have anything better to do?

[noonwitch]

2. I think it's a good idea, parents should know what their kids are doing

I don't know what the harm is in going to a tanning salon once in a while, but regular visits can't be good for you.

I'm one of those people who avoid sun exposure. I have red hair and fair skin, so I would never use a tanning salon. When I was a teenager, I might have been stupid about that if there had been tanning salons all over like now. I was stupid enough to try that Coppertone QT, circa 1979. I turned orange, it was awful.

[HysteryDiagnosis]

3. Schwartzeneger to order sun's rays to diminish by 50%.

http://www.cancer.org.au/content.cfm?randid=960742

Each year, over 374,000 Australians are diagnosed with for skin cancer and almost 360 Australians die. Over 8,500 Australians are diagnosed with melanoma, and almost 1000 people die. Relative five-year survival rates for melanoma are 90% for Australian males and 95% for Australian women. Survival rates have risen significantly since the early eighties as a result of skin cancers being detected earlier and improved treatment.

[HysteryDiagnosis]

4. Sunblock causes increased rates of melanoma, article.

http://thescotsman.scotsman.com/index.cfm?id=768742004

CONTROVERSIAL new research suggests that Britons should sunbathe daily without sunblock to help fend off disease - a finding that directly challenges current government guidelines on sun exposure.

A report entitled Sunlight Robbery claims public health in Britain is being put at risk by official policy which discourages sunbathing and promotes the use of sunblocks.

Adults should in fact spend at least 30 minutes each day unprotected in the sun to boost vitamin D production, a key factor in the prevention of "around 25 chronic diseases", the report says.

[KurtNYC]

5. "Get avay from za tanning boothz and such

and all zat kind of zing. Der kinder should not have za UVB rays and all that kind of zing."