 |
|
|
|
|
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
States say no to teen tanning
By Jennifer Nedeau, Special to Stateline.org
|
|
UPDATED 12:10 p.m., March 27
No smoking. No drinking. No talking on cell phones while driving. Now, the latest no-no in state laws aimed at underage teens is indoor tanning. Spurred by worries about skin cancer, Utah and Virginia this year joined 25 other states in placing limits on teens seeking a bronze glow from the ultraviolet lights of a tanning bed. North Dakota's Legislature is putting the final touches on a measure to also clamp restrictions on tanning salon patrons under age 18. Most of the laws require underage teens to get mom’s or dad’s permission to lie under the tanning-bed heat lamps that emit intense UV light. A handful of states completely ban access to artificial UV light in salons for those younger than 13, 14 or 16. Others require teens to bring along a parent or a doctor’s prescription.
Critics say the tan bans are an example of government overreaching, while advocates compare the use of tanning beds to cigarette smoking and the drinking of alcohol – unhealthy practices states already put off limits to minors. “We have labeling on cigarettes and alcohol and nothing on tanning beds that says ‘known carcinogen,’” said Dr. Arielle N.B. Kauvar, a dermatologist and chair of the American Academy of Dermatology Council on Communications. But the restrictions have incensed the $5 billion indoor tanning industry and led to charges of government “nannyism.” “I think it is a personal right to tan, just like it is to talk on a cell phone. When are we going to stop over-regulating the lives of our youth?” said North Dakota state Sen. Nick Hacker (R), who voted against imposing tanning restrictions. The North Dakota bill, which passed the House and was approved with amendments by the Senate, would bar customers under age 14 from indoor tanning without a physician’s prescription and the presence of a parent and would allow those ages 15 to17 to tan only with signed parental consent. State Sen. Ralph Kilzer (R), a physician and one of the sponsor of North Dakota’s bill, said teens are most affected by exposure to UV light. “The younger you are when you have your tanning, the more likely it is to affect you down the road,” he said. Virginia’s new law, which takes effect in July, will require teens under 15 to get parental consent before going into the salon. Utah’s new law requires parental consent for anyone under age 18. Colorado came close to passing what would have been one of the nation’s strictest laws. The state House Monday (March 26) rejected a Senate-passed bill that would have made it illegal for anyone under 18 to use tanning beds without a doctor’s prescription, notarized parental consent or parental accompaniment at the tanning salon. State Sen. Bob Hagedorn and state Rep. Annie McGihon, both Democrats, said they proposed the Colorado tanning restrictions after seeing growing reports about the linkage between UV rays and skin cancer. According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, California, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Michigan, Maryland, Nevada, Oregon, and Vermont are considering similar legislation. In 2006, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services declared that ultraviolet radiation from the sun and artificial sources, such as tanning beds and sun lamps, is carcinogenic.
While there are safer options, such as spray-on tans often called “mystic tans,” most tanning salons only provide beds with heat lamps.
Kauvar, the dermatologist, said that bulbs from tanning salons emit 15 times the rays of natural sunlight, elevating the possibility for frequent users of developing both melanoma and non-melanoma cancer. There are an estimated million new cases of skin cancer each year. “It is extremely risky behavior, and research indicates it is habit-forming,” Kauvar said.
The Indoor Tanning Association, which boasts of 25,000 professional indoor tanning facilities in the United States and 30 million customers, insists that moderate exposure to the sun can be a benefit. An article posted on the Indoor Tanning Association Web site states that sun exposure can help fight off depression by boosting levels of serotonin, reduce heart disease by raising levels of Vitamin D, prevent diabetes, prevent cavities, boost fertility, ease irritable bowl disorder, combat menstrual problems, ease skin conditions such as psoriasis, acne and eczema and can even help with weight loss. “After 30 years of giving bad advice about the sun itself, they moved the argument to tanning beds. They were wrong about the sun, and they are wrong about tanning beds,” said John Overstreet, executive vice president of the tanning association. According to an Academy of Dermatology press release, more than 1 million people use tanning salons on an average day. Of these, 70 percent are Caucasian females ages 16 to 49. More than 25 percent of teenage girls have used tanning salons three or more times in their lives. The Academy has identified the risks of indoor tanning as premature aging, such as age spots and wrinkles, and skin cancer. Kauvar noted that the tanning industry has effective ways to get young people into tanning salons. She mentioned that at major universities, students can use their university cash cards to pay for tanning sessions. Supporters of tan bans said their concern is minors. “We’re not going after the executive tans,” said Hagedorn in Colorado. “We’re going after the salons surrounding the high schools.” EDITOR'S NOTE: The number of states with tanning restrictions on minors, and the status of bills in Virginia and North Dakota, have been updated to correct a reporting error. Comment on this story in the space below by registering with Stateline.org, or e-mail your feedback to our Letters to the editor section at letters@stateline.org.
Contact Jennifer Nedeau at jnedeau@stateline.org.
|
Comment on this story in the space below by registering with Stateline.org.
|
|
|
|
|
| Issues: |
Politics
Welfare & Social Policy
Economy and Business
Education
|
|
-
Most Recent Comments
-
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Study: Tanning Protects Against Skin Cancer
By Jim Wint on Mar 27, 2007 3:10:02 AM
Proposed anti-tanning salon legislation in Maryland (HB-887) died in committee.
"Tanning Protects Against Melanoma Skin Cancer" is the conclusion of a study published in the journal "Cell" by Dr. David Fisher from the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute at Harvard Medical School.
In a study in the March 9 issue of the journal Cell, researchers at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute report that the protein, p53, is not only linked to skin tanning, but also may play a role in people's seemingly universal desire to be in the sun â an activity that, by promoting tanning, can reduce one's risk of melanoma.
A protein known as the "master watchman of the genome" for its ability to guard against cancer-causing DNA damage has been found to provide an entirely different level of cancer protection: By prompting the skin to tan in response to ultraviolet light from the sun, it deters the development of melanoma skin cancer.
"The number one risk factor for melanoma is an inability to tan; people who tan easily or have dark pigmentation are far less likely to develop the disease," says the study's senior author, David E. Fisher, MD, PhD, director of the Melanoma Program at Dana-Farber and a professor in pediatrics at Children's Hospital Boston.
"This study suggests that p53, one of the best-known tumor-suppressor proteins in our body, has a powerful role in protecting us against sun damage in the skin."
There is even the possibility that p53 protects against skin damage in a second â and previously unsuspected â way. The protein not only causes skin to tan in response to sunlight, it may also underlie people's desire to spend time in the sun.
See: http://www.dana-farber.org/abo/news/press/2007/guardian-of-the-genome-protein-found-to-underlie-skin-tanning.html
Watch the video: http://www.dana-farber.org/video-player.asp?file=/abo/news/press/2007/media/p53-david-fisher-study&title=Dr.+David+E.+Fisher+discussing+p53
Dermatologists have been misleading the public. Tanning in moderation is healthy behavior.
Report as Offensive
New Study Says Tanning May Protect!
By Rick Mattoon on Mar 27, 2007 1:45:52 AM
Here is something to consider...
According to a new study, tanning induced by ultraviolet rays plays a role in protecting against the development of skin cancer, namely melanoma, the fastest growing form of cancer in the world.
Earlier studies had linked exposure to tanning rays to increased risk of skin cancer. But the new study suggests that when the skin is exposed to tanning rays, a protein known as the "master watchman of the genome" is triggered to guard against cancer-causing DNA damage, which would otherwise lead to the development of skin cancer.
In addition, the study reported in the March 9, 2007 issue of the journal Cell by researchers from Dana-Farber Cancer Institute suggested that the protein, p53 also may play a role in people's desire to be exposed to the sunshine, which can reduce one's risk of melanoma by promoting tanning.
A scientist with foodconsumer.org said that the role of the sunshine or Ultraviolet rays may be more than just protecting against melanoma as early studies have associated sun exposure to reduced risk of a number of other cancers although some researchers attribute such a protective effect to the increased level of vitamin D.
"The number one risk factor for melanoma is an inability to tan; people who tan easily or have dark pigmentation are far less likely to develop the disease," says the study's senior author, David E. Fisher, MD, PhD, director of the Melanoma Program at Dana-Farber and a professor in pediatrics at Children's Hospital Boston.
"This study suggests that p53, one of the best-known tumor-suppressor proteins in our body, has a powerful role in protecting us against sun damage in the skin."
Earlier last year, Fisher and his colleagues published a study revealing that ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun triggers the secretion of a hormone called á-MSH in skin cells, which attaches to nearby skin cells called melanocytes, promoting the production of a skin-darkening pigment called melanin.
But it has been unknown how production of á-MSH is increased although investigators knew it is created when another protein known as opiomelanocortin or POMC was split apart. They also knew sun rays increase POMC in cells. But what causes the increase in POMC remained unclear.
The answer might be protein P53, according to Fisher and colleagues. A gene analysis showed that PMOC proteins meshed well with p53, leading the researchers to speculate that there was a possibility that when p53 docks well, POMC production increases.
Studies of human and mouse keratinocytes showed that 6-hour exposure of the cells to UV radiation drastically increased both POMC and p53, leading to an increase in á-MSH by a factor of 30 times compared to the cells unexposed.
Further evidence supported the p53's role in tanning. When p53 was inserted into keratinocytes, POMC increased drastically. In contrast, mice without p53 in the cells did not experience POMC increase and the mice did not tan.
The p53 theory may also explain the common skin condition or the development of small dark spots, which is caused by stress or irritation of the skin, but not ultraviolet rays and is common among elderly people. The condition is not dangerous, but renders a negative cosmetic effect.
"Our research offers a potential explanation of how this condition - known as post-inflammatory hyper-pigmentation, or age spots - occurs," Fisher says.
"We know that it occurs as a result of stress, and p53 is a classic ?stress' protein, going into action when cells experience stress-related DNA damage. What we've learned about p53 suggests that it may trigger the hyperpigmentation process."
The researchers also said that the same process that causes PMOC to increase production of á-MSH, which leads to the protection against melanoma, may also causes the production of â-endorphin, which binds to the body's opiate receptor associated with perception of feelings of pleasure.
This theory explains why people often get additive to exposure to sunshine.
"Even as p53 is causing skin to tan during sunlight exposure, it may also affect neuronal circuits," Fisher says.
"These proteins may provide an explicit link between the regulation of tanning and of mood. It raises the question of whether p53-mediated induction of â-endorphin is involved in sun-seeking behavior, which often increases skin cancer risk."
Report as Offensive
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 | Stateline.org has put together a list of state public policy resources organized by issue. Here, you will find useful links to essential information from government, academia, and think tanks. If you have a link to add, please email us.
|
| |
|
|
Powered by
By Jim Wint on Mar 27, 2007 3:10:02 AM
Proposed anti-tanning salon legislation in Maryland (HB-887) died in committee.
"Tanning Protects Against Melanoma Skin Cancer" is the conclusion of a study published in the journal "Cell" by Dr. David Fisher from the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute at Harvard Medical School.
In a study in the March 9 issue of the journal Cell, researchers at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute report that the protein, p53, is not only linked to skin tanning, but also may play a role in people's seemingly universal desire to be in the sun â an activity that, by promoting tanning, can reduce one's risk of melanoma.
A protein known as the "master watchman of the genome" for its ability to guard against cancer-causing DNA damage has been found to provide an entirely different level of cancer protection: By prompting the skin to tan in response to ultraviolet light from the sun, it deters the development of melanoma skin cancer.
"The number one risk factor for melanoma is an inability to tan; people who tan easily or have dark pigmentation are far less likely to develop the disease," says the study's senior author, David E. Fisher, MD, PhD, director of the Melanoma Program at Dana-Farber and a professor in pediatrics at Children's Hospital Boston.
"This study suggests that p53, one of the best-known tumor-suppressor proteins in our body, has a powerful role in protecting us against sun damage in the skin."
There is even the possibility that p53 protects against skin damage in a second â and previously unsuspected â way. The protein not only causes skin to tan in response to sunlight, it may also underlie people's desire to spend time in the sun.
See: http://www.dana-farber.org/abo/news/press/2007/guardian-of-the-genome-protein-found-to-underlie-skin-tanning.html
Watch the video: http://www.dana-farber.org/video-player.asp?file=/abo/news/press/2007/media/p53-david-fisher-study&title=Dr.+David+E.+Fisher+discussing+p53
Dermatologists have been misleading the public. Tanning in moderation is healthy behavior.
Report as Offensive
New Study Says Tanning May Protect!
By Rick Mattoon on Mar 27, 2007 1:45:52 AM
Here is something to consider...
According to a new study, tanning induced by ultraviolet rays plays a role in protecting against the development of skin cancer, namely melanoma, the fastest growing form of cancer in the world.
Earlier studies had linked exposure to tanning rays to increased risk of skin cancer. But the new study suggests that when the skin is exposed to tanning rays, a protein known as the "master watchman of the genome" is triggered to guard against cancer-causing DNA damage, which would otherwise lead to the development of skin cancer.
In addition, the study reported in the March 9, 2007 issue of the journal Cell by researchers from Dana-Farber Cancer Institute suggested that the protein, p53 also may play a role in people's desire to be exposed to the sunshine, which can reduce one's risk of melanoma by promoting tanning.
A scientist with foodconsumer.org said that the role of the sunshine or Ultraviolet rays may be more than just protecting against melanoma as early studies have associated sun exposure to reduced risk of a number of other cancers although some researchers attribute such a protective effect to the increased level of vitamin D.
"The number one risk factor for melanoma is an inability to tan; people who tan easily or have dark pigmentation are far less likely to develop the disease," says the study's senior author, David E. Fisher, MD, PhD, director of the Melanoma Program at Dana-Farber and a professor in pediatrics at Children's Hospital Boston.
"This study suggests that p53, one of the best-known tumor-suppressor proteins in our body, has a powerful role in protecting us against sun damage in the skin."
Earlier last year, Fisher and his colleagues published a study revealing that ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun triggers the secretion of a hormone called á-MSH in skin cells, which attaches to nearby skin cells called melanocytes, promoting the production of a skin-darkening pigment called melanin.
But it has been unknown how production of á-MSH is increased although investigators knew it is created when another protein known as opiomelanocortin or POMC was split apart. They also knew sun rays increase POMC in cells. But what causes the increase in POMC remained unclear.
The answer might be protein P53, according to Fisher and colleagues. A gene analysis showed that PMOC proteins meshed well with p53, leading the researchers to speculate that there was a possibility that when p53 docks well, POMC production increases.
Studies of human and mouse keratinocytes showed that 6-hour exposure of the cells to UV radiation drastically increased both POMC and p53, leading to an increase in á-MSH by a factor of 30 times compared to the cells unexposed.
Further evidence supported the p53's role in tanning. When p53 was inserted into keratinocytes, POMC increased drastically. In contrast, mice without p53 in the cells did not experience POMC increase and the mice did not tan.
The p53 theory may also explain the common skin condition or the development of small dark spots, which is caused by stress or irritation of the skin, but not ultraviolet rays and is common among elderly people. The condition is not dangerous, but renders a negative cosmetic effect.
"Our research offers a potential explanation of how this condition - known as post-inflammatory hyper-pigmentation, or age spots - occurs," Fisher says.
"We know that it occurs as a result of stress, and p53 is a classic ?stress' protein, going into action when cells experience stress-related DNA damage. What we've learned about p53 suggests that it may trigger the hyperpigmentation process."
The researchers also said that the same process that causes PMOC to increase production of á-MSH, which leads to the protection against melanoma, may also causes the production of â-endorphin, which binds to the body's opiate receptor associated with perception of feelings of pleasure.
This theory explains why people often get additive to exposure to sunshine.
"Even as p53 is causing skin to tan during sunlight exposure, it may also affect neuronal circuits," Fisher says.
"These proteins may provide an explicit link between the regulation of tanning and of mood. It raises the question of whether p53-mediated induction of â-endorphin is involved in sun-seeking behavior, which often increases skin cancer risk."
Report as Offensive