Legislation needed to ban teens from tanning

Doug McNabb

- June 8, 2012 at 09:10:31

I am the President of the Joint Canadian Tanning Association. Having the government remove the right of parents to make decisions regarding their kids tanning is obviously a very controversial topic. The question, are parents able to guide their teens as to whether to tan or not versus, is this such a dangerous activity that the government should ban it from teenagers using it all together is a complicated one. Certainly, people are welcome to their opinions as to whether people look good with a tan or not but that is not the issue. Here are to examples: The CCS cites the World Health Organization’s listing tanning beds as a Group 1 carcinogen as the reason for banning teens from tanning beds. Many other things such as sunlight, red wine, saw dust, salted fish, and birth control pills/oral contraceptives are listed in the same category as sunbeds. Given the WHO considers them the same one of the things we asked in our letter to Mr. Goodhand was if the CCS planned to call for a ban on teens using oral contraceptives. Currently they can obtain them, even without parental consent. Secondly, dermatologists routinely treat psoriasis with tanning beds (UV emitting phototherapy). The World Health Organization data shows this type of equipment actually results in a risk 16x greater than commercial tanning beds used in tanning salons and is also listed as a Group 1 carcinogen. This equipment is curiously and specifically removed from all proposed legislation. The CCS will/has not ask for a ban on this type of exposure which is also listed as a Group 1 carcinogen. The Canadian Cancer Society has taken a very aggressive position and claims that science supports their position. In an attempt to better understand the CCS’s position and perhaps reach a consensus that may make the regulatory process more effective and less costly, the JCTA wrote 2 letters requesting a meeting with Peter Goodhand, CEO/President of the Canadian Cancer Society. Our first letter was ignored so a second letter was sent and the reply was a refusal to meet saying that the answer to the questions raised in our initial letter could be found on the CCS web site. That is not the true. For instance birth control pills, in the asme category as sunbeds can be given to teens even without parental knowledge It is hard to understand why the leader of an organization as powerful and influential as the CCS would refuse to meet and discuss these issues. I’ll leave it to the readers to decide why this may be? Here is a link to the letter http://tanawareness.com/refuses_meeting.php

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Courtney waldenberg

- June 5, 2012 at 16:23:25

Ypu should check out how Fabutan has a teen tan plan in place! It's the parent choice!! And should be!!

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