Jan. 15--Walk through the halls of either Norman High or Norman North High School in early winter and there's a good chance, the teenager sporting golden, tanned skin spent hours in a tanning booth to achieve that darker complexion.
If Senate Bill 544 passes the Oklahoma Legislature, minors would face restrictions at tanning salons. Sen. Andrew Rice, D-Oklahoma City, authored the bill.
"Over 1 million Americans are stricken with skin cancer each year, and the rate of melanoma cases is skyrocketing with more than 75 percent of all skin cancer deaths stemming from melanoma," Rice said. "What's causing these increased rates of skin cancer? Experts point to the fact that nearly 30 million Americans tan indoors annually, and 2.3 million of those are teens, and these numbers are steadily increasing each year."
According to the American Cancer Society, skin cancer is the most common type of cancer.
The ACS reported a little more than 62,000 melanoma cases were discovered in 2008, and it was expected about 8,400 people would die from the disease.
Rice's bill states those under age 13 would be prohibited from using tanning facilities unless the child had a permission slip from a physician and the child's parent or legal guardian stayed at the facility during tanning sessions.
Those between the ages of 13 and 15 would be required to be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian who would have to remain at the facility while the individual tanned, according to the bill.
Bill provisions state before anyone 16 or 17 could use a tanning facility for the first time, that individual would have to provide the facility with a written informed consent statement signed and dated by a parent or legal guardian. The statement would not only include consent for the minor to use a tanning device, but also that the parent agrees that the minor will use protective eyewear.
Rice said 29 other states regulate the use of tanning facilities by minors.
"People don't realize how dangerous tanning is. I don't think we'd have so many teenagers tanning if their parents really knew about the health risks," Rice said. "My hope is that my bill will help protect Oklahomans and make parents and others more aware of the dangers of tanning, particularly among adolescents."
The proposed law has received mixed reaction from Norman teenagers.
At Norman High School Thursday morning, students Callie Watts, Heath Huffman, Siobhan Hendon and Amelia Ankney discussed what the bill would mean if it became law. All four teenagers support the bill.
"I think it's good because we're just thinking about outer beauty and not what it's going to do to our skin," Amelia said.
The 15-year-old freshman said she heard about Rice's bill on the news, and she hopes it becomes law one day.
"Skin cancer is a real issue. There's no getting around it," Amelia said.
Siobhan said she works at a local tanning salon and supports the idea of minors getting written consent from their parents.
"Teenagers don't understand the risks," the 16-year-old junior said. "They can tan every day if they want to."
Siobhan said she tans her skin on occasion, and she's aware of the harm it could cause her down the road.
Callie said she likes her skin a couple shades darker during spring and summer. When springtime approaches, the 15-year-old sophomore visits a tanning salon.
"I just go to get a little bit of color before the summer," she said.
Callie said her parents know about the time she spends at tanning salons.
"They don't mind me tanning," Callie said. "They just don't want me to do it a lot."
Heath said indoor tanning isn't something he would consider doing. Outer appearance seems more important for girls.
"Someday when you get skin cancer, it's really not going to be worth it," he said.
Heath, 18, a senior, said most parents are aware their child visits tanning facilities. But maybe those facilities could at least explain the risks associated with tanning.
"Give a pamphlet with health concerns," he said.
Heath said he doesn't see any reason the bill can't become law.
"People who will vote on it don't fall under this category," he said.
Norman North students Kaity McKeown, 16, and Maddy Zachary, 14, hope Heath is wrong.
"I don't like it at all," Maddy said after she heard about the bill.
Both girls visit tanning facilities during the year.
"I used to tan every day," Maddy, a freshman, said. "I still tan but just once a week."
She said her parents know about her habit.
"My mom knows and she doesn't care," she said.
Kaity, a sophomore, said she has concerns about the bill should it become law.
"It should be for everyone," Kaity said.
NNHS senior Logan Dunson, 19, doesn't know if the law would cut down on skin cancer rates, but he understands why people want to put restrictions on indoor tanning.
"Monitor tanning lengths and give a liability form," he said. "Cigarettes have labels that say they cause cancer."
Logan said most parents and guardians already know about their child's visits to tanning facilities.
"If they don't know, they're obviously not paying attention anyways," he said.
Meghan McCormick 366-3539 mmccormick@normantranscript.com
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