The topic of tanning beds is coming up in the Nebraska Unicameral again. Lawmakers are debating whether tanning bed use should be restricted to people eighteen and older.
Senator Anna Wishart, of Lincoln, the proposed measure would build on an existing law that requires parental approval for minors under sixteen to use the beds. Wishart says the bill would protect kids who sometimes face peer pressure to tan without having a full grasp on the risks. Studies have shown that ultraviolet rays cause malignant skin cancer.
Proponents say the bed protects children, but opponents say it would hurt business at tanning facilities. Opponents also say the bill may not stop minors, and could lead them to find other ways of accessing the beds. If passed, Nebraska would join fourteen other states that ban minors from tanning.