Tan Ban Passes Assembly; Senate Needs to Act to Make NY First State in the Nation to Ban Kids from Indoor Tanning
Statement from Donald Distasio, CEO, American Cancer Society of NY & NJ, regarding Assembly passage of bill to ban indoor tanning to minors.
“Kids should not be exposed to indoor tanning – that’s the clear message that the Assembly is sending by passing a bill to ban access to indoor tanning for minors under age 18.
The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) 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 IARC, use of tanning beds before the age of 30 increases the risk of melanoma 75 percent.
Thank you to Assemblyman Weisenberg for his dedication, and his strong personal and professional commitment to this issue. It’s time for the Senate to make New York a leader and protect kids from this cancer-causer by passing a bill that bans indoor tanning for minors now.”
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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.