A South Florida lawmaker is trying again to pass a bill to keep kids under 18 out of tanning salons. A new study by Miami researchers may give the proposal more traction in the Legislature this year.
The study outlines the popularity of indoor tanning facilities, and was released just days before Hollywood Democratic Sen. Eleanor Sobel filed the "Preventing Youth Cancer Act"
“I was really shocked to find out we had more tanning beds than we do McDonalds or CVS," Sobel said. "You know, tan is looking good for a lot of people, looking healthy.”Sobel hasn’t been able to convince her fellow lawmakers that teenagers in tanning salons is an issue that needs government regulation. But she says the bill is back because young people don’t realize the danger.
The Miami researchers found that the largest users of tanning beds are between 16 and 29 years old. They also say Florida is among the top states for occurrences of melanoma – the deadliest form of skin cancer.