BILL NUMBER: S6825

SPONSOR: SKOUFIS
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the public health law, in relation to increasing the age
required to use ultraviolet radiation devices to twenty-one years of age

 
PURPOSE:

To reduce the risk of skin cancer by raising the minimum age to use UV
tanning beds from 18 to 21 years old.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1: Amends subdivision 2 of section 3555 of the public health law
to raise the minimum age to use tanning beds from 18 to 21 years.

Section 2: Effective date.

 
              

JUSTIFICATION:

Ultraviolet radiation from indoor tanning beds are a major contributing
factor to skin cancer for people who use tanning facilities. According
to statistics from the American Skin Care Foundation, more than 419,000
cases of skin cancer in the U.S. each year are linked to indoor tanning,
and more people develop skin cancer because of indoor tanning than
develop lung cancer because of smoking. The risks to younger users are
especially severe. The Skin Care Foundation found that people who first
use a tanning bed before age 35 increased their risk for melanoma by
75%. Given the legislature's recent efforts to raise the age for other
dangerous activities such as smoking (S2833 of 2019), it is time to
raise the minimum age to use indoor tanning beds in order to keep the
next generation of New Yorkers safe from these carcinogenic products.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

New bill

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

None

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.