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Mar 18, 2009 9:00 am US/Central
Bill Targets Texas Teens Who Tan
DALLAS (CBS) ―
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Currently, state law requires only written permission from a parent. (File)
KTVT / KTXA
Dallas dermatologist Erica Muller has seen her share of skin cancer and agrees.
"We are seeing skin cancer at an early age among younger woman and many times it can be traced back to a history of tanning bed use."
Muller supports a bill by Carrollton State Rep. Burt Solomons. The measure would require Texas teens under 18 to get a doctor's note if they want to use a tanning bed. It also would require a parent to be with them in the salon.
Currently, state law requires only written permission from a parent. The president of Palm Beach Tan based in Farmers Branch says the issue is for parents, not the state or doctors.
Katy Weekly, who tans herself, agrees.
"If you parents say it's OK, then why not?"
Solomons tells CBS station KTVT-TV that he introduced the bill because "it's not okay for minors to buy or smoke cigarettes, yet we don't do the same thing for tanning beds and we know they both cause cancer."
"I grew up tanning, but had that been a rule when I was under the age of 18, I would not have been as addicted as I was growing up," admits former tanner Cara Hoelscher.
Solomons says most teenagers ignore the warning signs posted inside tanning salons.
He believes forcing teens to consult with their doctors will ultimately force them to confront the dangers of tanning beds.
Muller, however, adds that people with rare skin conditions with no health insurance can benefit from occasional indoor tanning.
(© MMX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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