The following is a statement from Kimberly Hughes, Mississippi government relations director at American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN), on the Mississippi House of Representatives Public Health and Human Services Committee’s decision not to bring up Senate Bill 2847 that would have protected anyone 17-years-old or younger from cancer-causing indoor tanning devices:
“As an organization whose goal is to eliminate cancer as a major health problem, we are very disappointed by the committee’s lack of concern for teenagers who could literally get cancer from using indoor tanning devices. Their decision not to even bring up the bill means all Mississippi teens will continue to have access to a cancer-causing product that, if used just once, will increase their risk of getting deadly melanoma skin cancer by 59 percent.
“At the same time, we are very grateful to the Senate for passing the bill. They recognized that most teens don’t comprehend the risk tanning devices pose, and parents can’t be with them 24-hours a day to make sure their kids aren’t needlessly putting themselves at increased risk of skin cancer.
“This is the fourth year that volunteers from across the state worked on this legislation alongside dermatologists, former tanners who have gotten skin cancer, the health department, and many others—but the House committee ignored our pleas.
“We will continue to work with both the House and Senate in the future and do our best to educate them about the pain, body disfigurement, and heartache caused by these cancer-causing devices.”
About the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network
ACS CAN, the nonprofit, nonpartisan advocacy affiliate of the American Cancer Society, supports evidence-based policy and legislative solutions designed to eliminate cancer as a major health problem. ACS CAN works to encourage elected officials and candidates to make cancer a top national priority. ACS CAN gives ordinary people extraordinary power to fight cancer with the training and tools they need to make their voices heard. For more information, visit www.acscan.org.