Statement from Ethan Hasbrouck, NJ Director of Advocacy, American Cancer Society of NY & NJ, regarding Assembly passage of a bill to ban indoor tanning for minors.
“Putting our kids first – that’s what the Assembly did today by approving a ban on indoor tanning for minors. Now, it’s time for the Senate to approve this measure, just as it did last session.
New Jersey’s melanoma rate has increased 43 percent in a 10 year period. Indoor tanning is a major factor fueling that increase.
The World Health Organization (WHO) puts tanning beds in the highest cancer risk category - group 1 - 'carcinogenic to humans.’ That’s the same class as arsenic, asbestos, benzene, dioxin, mustard gas, tobacco smoke and vinyl chloride. According to the WHO, use of tanning beds before the age of 30 increases the risk of melanoma 75 percent.
The American Cancer Society urges the Senate to move this bill quickly through committee and onto the floor for a vote.”
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About the American Cancer Society
The American Cancer Society combines an unyielding passion with nearly a century of experience to save lives and end suffering from cancer. As a global grassroots force of more than three million volunteers, we fight for every birthday threatened by every cancer in every community. We save lives by helping people stay well by preventing cancer or detecting it early; helping people get well by being there for them during and after a cancer diagnosis; by finding cures through investment in groundbreaking discovery; and by fighting back by rallying lawmakers to pass laws to defeat cancer and by rallying communities worldwide to join the fight. As the nation’s largest non-governmental investor in cancer research, contributing more than $3.4 billion, we turn what we know about cancer into what we do. As a result, more than 11 million people in America who have had cancer and countless more who have avoided it will be celebrating birthdays this year. To learn more about us or to get help, call us any time, day or night, at 1-800-227-2345 or visit cancer.org.
After months of delay and hard negotiations, Congress has finally passed a funding bill! The bill includes a small increase for cancer research and prevention programs.