The relationship between skin cancer and ultraviolet
(UV) radiation is well known. In response California Gov. Jerry Brown announced
he had signed a bill that prevents children under 18 from using tanning beds. Utah Senator Pat Jones plans to introduce a bill
outlawing tanning bed use for teenagers under the age of 18. Lead to a bill moving through the Legislature which would ban
indoor tanning by anyone under age 18. The bill would replace a state law now
requiring parental permission before young people ages 14-18 can tan
artificially.
The World Health Organization’s
International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) announced that it has moved
UV tanning beds to its highest cancer risk category -- "carcinogenic to
humans." (any substance or agent that
tends to produce a cancer.) Lead to a 10 percent excise tax
on ultraviolet tanning services. This is the first tax being levied under the
new health care law.
Most programs promoting sun protection have involved
educational interventions designed to teach people that exposure to sun
increases the likelihood of skin cancer and that precautionary measures can
reduce this risk. Although these programs have been partially successful in
improving knowledge related to sun exposure and skin cancer, they have been
failing to elicit behavioral change
UV Education in schools: establish policies that
reduce exposure to UV radiation, providing and maintaining physical and social
environments that support sun safety and that are consistent with the
development of other healthy habits, providing health education to teach
students the knowledge, attitudes, and behavioral skills they need to prevent
skin cancer at age appropriate level with links to opportunities for practicing
sun-safe behaviors, involving family members in skin cancer prevention efforts,
including skin cancer prevention knowledge and skills in pre-service and
in-service education for school administrators, teachers, physical education
teachers and coaches, and school nurses, complementing and supporting skin
cancer prevention education and sun-safety environments and policies with
school health services, and lastly periodically evaluating whether schools are
implementing the guidelines on policies, environmental change, education,
families, professional development, and health services.
Sources
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