Searcy (LP) As of now the state of Arkansas mildly restricts tanning bed usage for minors. A person under the age of eighteen must have parental consent before entering a tanning bed according to law 20-27-2202. During the tanning process a person’s skin in exposed to harmful UV rays that can cause skin cancer and eye damage. The earlier in life a person is exposed to these UV rays the chance of health complication heightens. The president of the Arkansas Dermatology Administration, Brian Russel and State Representative Stephen Magie filed a bill to put an end to this bad habit.

If passed the new law would restrict any sun bed use of anyone under the age of eighteen unless they have a prescription from a doctor to help skin conditions like psoriasis or eczema. Also, permitting a minor to tan would be a class A misdemeanor this not only goes for salons but personally owned tanning beds as well.

Searcy has many locations for citizens to tan, such as Palm Beach Tan, Radiance Tanning, Health Corp, etc. If this new bill is passed it could put a strain on Searcy’s local business community. I sat down with Jamie Ferren, an employee at Palm Beach Tan to get her opinion on the new bill. “The bill does seem a little extreme but I do not think it will hurt business too bad.” The health risk that come with tanning is the main reason for this bill.

Marie Formel a life long tanner is a skin cancer survivor, she stated “I always knew that skin cancer was a a risk but I never thought it would happen to me.” Marie does not allow her teenagers to use tanning beds since she began at an early age, “Once you start tanning it is kind of an addiction you just feel like the darker the skin the better you look”. After diagnosed she gave up tanning completely and supports the bill 100 percent considering her bad habit started from her years as a teenager. This new bill will hopefully save lives and bring awareness to the danger of UV exposure.