The American Academy of Pediatrics has released a new report urging a ban on allowing minors to use tanning beds.
The Los Angeles Times “Booster Shots” blog reported that a policy statement released by the group “cites several studies, including research that shows a link between people overexposed to the sun in childhood and melanoma, one of the deadliest forms of skin cancer.”
The AAP joins other groups in advocating for such a ban. These groups includes

• the World Health Organization (WHO),
• the American Medical Association (AMA), and
• the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD).

The Boston Globe  “Daily Dose” blog reported that “last March, an FDA advisory committee recommended that people under 18 be barred from using tanning beds or at least required to have a signed consent form from their parents.
The new AAP declaration could help convince the FDA to follow its committee’s recommendation, which it’s not required to do.”
According to a CNN report, and here’s a real shocker, “the Indoor Tanning Association disagrees that tanning should be legislated.”
Parents should be aware of the dangers of these tanning parlors and, in my opinion, encourage their kids to NOT use them … not even once.
Here are some of my other posts on indoor tanning:

• Indoor Tanning Poses Melanoma Risk; There Are NO Safe Devices
• One-third of young people who use tanning beds may be addicted to the behavior
• Researchers say tanning beds cause cancer and are as risky as tobacco or asbestos