by ALISON LEVIER Section Editor
Governor Christie has officially passed a bill stating that no one under the age of 17 years can use a tanning bed, and, additionally, no one under 14 years of age can get a spray tan.
Girls just cannot wait to go to the tanning salon to get tan in time for prom. Teenagers flood the salons, hoping to rid themselves of wintertime paleness, and into a glow fit for the red carpet. Only, this year they may have to deal with their Casper complexion.
Now, do not go saying, “Oh my mom will sign the papers for me to do it,” because she is not allowed. It is absolutely prohibited for people under 17 to go in a tanning bed, regardless of parental consent. It is the same law as New York.
Hey, it could be worse. In California and Vermont, you have to be 18 to even think of getting an artificial tan.
This all started when that story about “Tanning Mom” came out. Remember her? The lady the was accused of putting her five year old in a tanning bed so she could get that beautiful glow that all the kindergarteners strive for?
The court chose not to indict Patricia Krentcil for putting her five-year-old in a tanning bed, which resulted in leg burns, for child endangerment. The salon, however, was fined by the board of health in New Jersey.
Yes, Krentcil, a New Jersey native, is the cause of all of this. Blame her.
This new bill has caused quite a stir, and quite an outcry from the (not to be racist) orange teenage population.
“I think this is a great idea,” says sophomore Anne Ballman. “This has been a long problem and especially because of the recent higher rates of skin cancer, I think it is absolutely necessary. Teens who tan regularly may be upset, but I think that the law is doing them a favor, because only an idiot would use a tanning bed. And, as we all know, teenagers are notorious for being idiots.”
In reality, though, this is for their own good. Teenage girls are the most frequent tanners, and those who do tan are at a greater risk for melanoma, which is the most common form of cancer for adults ages 25-29. This is not a personal attack on those who tan, even though those who tan probably think it is.
“Sounds like a good idea to me. Tanning is awful for your skin. Everyone knows it. It’s like smoking, everyone knows it’s bad and yet some people still do it. Doesn’t make sense to me,” says sophomore Kirsten Pasewaldt.
The America Suntanning Association (yes, that’s a thing) seems to disagree, arguing that such a ban can only lead to teenagers trying “riskier alternatives like the beach or home units.”
Whatever the opinions of the public may be, this bill is here and it is not going anywhere, so everyone should just deal with it or fulfill their tanning needs in Pennsylvania.