Corzine enacts tan ban for minors
Local salon workers view new law positively
BY JESSICA SMITH
Correspondent

"There are some indications that it could be harmful to individuals of that age; that ultraviolet radiation could pose a greater threat to them." - Sam Thompson

Gov. Jon Corzine signed legislation July 19 prohibiting the use of tanning salons by minors under the age of 14. The new state law also requires minors between the ages of 14 and 18 to show written permission from a parent in order to use tanning facilities.

"There are some indications that it could be harmful to individuals of that age; that ultraviolet radiation could pose a greater threat to them," said Assemblyman Sam Thompson (R-Monmouth/Middlesex).

The law will go into effect Nov. 16, and will carry penalties for tanning salons of $100 for first offenses and $200 for subsequent offenses.

Megan Mosera, an employee of Aloha Beach Tanning in Matawan, said it has always been their policy to have a release signed for anyone under the age of 16.

"I think it's a good thing, because we have little girls come in, and if they get burned, their parents want to sue," Mosera said.

About 50 percent of those who tan regularly are under the age of 20, according to Diane Nowicki, owner and manager of Coconut Beach Tanning in Middletown.

"I can't see parents allowing their children to tan at that age. If I had a child that age, I don't think I'd want them tanning every day, whether it was out in the sun, or in a salon," Nowicki said.

The legislation (A-2936) makes New Jersey the 23rd state in the United States to place such restrictions on tanning facilities.

"Like smoking in earlier generations, young people often did not realize the long-lasting dangerous effects of overexposure to UV rays until fairly recently," state Sen. Paul Sarlo (D-Bergen/Essex/Passaic) said in a press release. "With the medical evidence having become so convincing, we need this law to help warn our young people, who often believe they are immune to the dangers of skin cancer."

Artificial tanning increases one's risk of developing skin cancer, according to the National Cancer Institute (NCI). They also say exposure to ultraviolet light in tanning salons actually thins the skin, making it less able to heal, and increasing possible damage from sun exposure.

The NCI suggests using tanning sprays as an alternative, and urges the public to perform monthly self-exams for any abnormal looking bumps, sores or moles that change in size, color or shape.