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Senator King's bill would even prevent parents from giving their okay for kids under 18 from tanning. (AP Photo/Jonathan Hayward)

Why tanning is being compared to smoking in Olympia

BY Chris Sullivan  on February 18, 2013 @ 5:39 am (Updated: 10:24 am - 2/18/13 )

Teenagers hoping to get bronzed before the big dance or upcoming swim party will have to do it the old-fashioned way under a bill being heard Monday in Olympia. If passed, tanning would be illegal for those under 18.

After hearing from parents who lost children to skin cancer years after they let them hit the tanning salon, State Senator Curtis King decided it was time to step in. He's proposing a bill that would prevent kids under the age of 18 from using tanning beds.

"We don't allow people under the age of 18 to smoke," Senator King said. "We do not allow young people to drink alcohol."

Senator King believes tanning rises to that level because of what he's heard from doctors, cancer-survivors and grieving parents. Senator King's bill would even prevent parents from giving their okay for kids under 18 from tanning. "It just says 'You can't use it,'" he said. "It's like saying 'well a parent wants their 14-year-old son or daughter to smoke.' They can't do it."

Violating this bill could cost tanning salons a $1,000. Tanners would have to present photo-ID in order to get in a tanning bed. California prevents kids under 18 from using tanning beds and 33 states already regulate the tanning industry. Washington does not. Our state also doesn't license these shops. Senator King believes it's time to start. "We need to do this to protect our young people."

Chris Sullivan, KIRO Radio Reporter
Chris loves the rush of covering breaking news and works hard to try to make sense of it all while telling stories about real people in extraordinary circumstances.
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Comments (10)


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  • mdparker wrote...
    Bad comparison
    February 18, 2013 6:10 am
    This comparison is in no way valid, because it discounts the fact that UV exposure is natural and necessary to sustain life. Yes, I know that indoor tanning is not necessary to sustain life obviously, but the point remains the same. To say this also fails to acknowledge that there are most certainly benefits associated with moderate UV exposure. And finally, to compare the two is either a vast exaggeration of the risk of melanoma. Besides the fact that melanoma incidence can certainly not be blamed solely on UV exposure, deaths from lung cancer are more than 15x greater that those from melanoma. And think how much more lung cancer there would be if everyone smoked, just as everyone is exposed to sunlight. A ban may sound good, but just like anything else, you have to try to think about unintended consequences. Ban or not, teens will continue to seek tans and they will seek out unmonitored home tanning units and unsafe habits in the natural sun. Research shows that the risk of using home tanning beds is far greater than using them in salons - presumably because of exposure time and because salon workers are trained to not allow clients to overexpose. As much as doctors would like you to believe it, research has not shown a statistically significant correlation between tanning in salons and melanoma - only with home use and medical phototherapy. Melanoma is clearly a very sad thing, but when talking about legislation, emotion and anecdotal evidence must be put to the side. Unfortunately, a very small percentage of young people have always gotten melanoma, and continue to. But melanoma in young people is not on the rise according to National Cancer Institute data.
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  • mnpat wrote...
    Maybe WA should concern themselves with the budget
    February 18, 2013 6:42 am
    just saying
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Jason wrote...
    really???
    February 18, 2013 6:44 am
    Is there nothing more important going on than this? I guess all the budget problems are solved!! Can't wait to hear it reported in the news......
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  • po_guy wrote...
    Isn't it one and the same?
    February 18, 2013 8:15 am
    You can smoke yourself in a smoker, or you can lay in a bed and get smoked with lamps...either way you are cooked!!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Ted Bundi wrote...
    Dear State Senator Curtis King
    February 18, 2013 8:28 am
    Please work on the State budget. I use tanning beds. Why are you interested in "teens" using this device? Should you not start looking at their text message as well?
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  • Ted Bundi wrote...
    Dear State Senator Curtis King
    February 18, 2013 8:37 am
    You are out of a job. I will work hard to make sure you are the next out the door.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • shark75 wrote...
    Stupid laws like this should be coming from the democrats
    February 18, 2013 9:16 am
    Come on Sen. King, lets not give these future voters the false sense that republicans are the ones that want to limit their freedom...
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  • Zoeller wrote...
    Contact Curtis King
    February 18, 2013 10:20 am
    http://curtisking.src.wastateleg.org/ Please stop wasting time and resources on frivolous bills such as the tanning bed issue. What is next? Are you going to start requiring ID. at public beaches make sure everyone is Eighteen before they are exposed to the sun?
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  • kato1967 wrote...
    But it's for the Children!
    February 18, 2013 10:45 am
    This excuse can be used to infringe upon all manner of our liberties.
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  • HPD 5-0 wrote...
    Liberal "logic".
    February 18, 2013 11:34 am
    Cigarettes are bad, tanning is "evil" but pot is wonderful.
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