WASHINGTON (AP) – Federal health officials are proposing a ban on the use of tanning beds for anyone under the age of 18, part of an ongoing effort to reduce skin cancers caused by the devices.
The Food and Drug Administration proposal would also require tanning bed users to sign consent forms acknowledging the risks of the radiation-emitting devices.
Last year the FDA required tanning beds and sun lamps to carry new warnings that they should not be used by anyone under age 18. The FDA has regulated tanning machines for over 30 years, but had previously taken little action to restrict their use.
For years, dermatologists have urged bolder action from the federal government amid rising rates of skin cancer among teens and people in their 20s.
