Indoor Tanning: Banning Those Under 18

The correlation between ultraviolet radiation and melanoma is definitive. Indoor tanning has been on the rise over the past 3 decades to the point where estimates indicate that 70% of females between 16 and 49 in the U.S. regularly visit a tanning salon. Many of these clients are teenagers, bringing a standstill between tanning studios who rely on adolescents to stay in business versus numerous health organizations advocating a complete ban on indoor tanning facilities for anyone under 18. The Canadian Paediatric Society has produced a position statement documenting the link between UV radiation and cancer, and presenting a number of recommendations to support the prohibition of indoor tanning by minors. The statement has been reviewed and is supported by a leading paediatric dermatologist. To read the position statement in its entirety, click here.