Massachusetts' Under-18 Tanning Bed Ban Now in Effect

By ALISON BAUTER (Patch Staff)

WILMINGTON, MA - Pale teens seeking a fake tan will have to get the kind that comes in a bottle from here on out, as a state law banning minors from tanning facilities took effect Thursday, May 5.

Massachusetts passed the law to regulate minors' use of indoor tanning devices (i.e. tanning beds) earlier this year, cheered on by medical associations.

Thirteen other states and the District of Columbia already have similar bans in place, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Still other states require parents to accompany minors under a certain age.

Sun and ultra-violet radiation exposure are particularly damaging to teenagers and children, increasing the risk of skin cancer, according the International Agency for Research on Cancer, which supports regulations like Massachusetts'.

Gov. Charlie Baker signed the Massachusetts law in early February.

"With the number of minors diagnosed with skin cancer on the rise across Massachusetts and the nation, this legislation takes a critical step towards increasing awareness and protecting our most vulnerable," he said in a statement at the time.

Photo courtesy Miran Rijavec via Flickr/Creative Commons