Doctors favor tanning beds ban for minors

WASHINGTON, Feb. 28 (UPI) -- The American Academy of Pediatrics and other medical groups support legislation banning children or teens under 18 from tanning salons, officials say.

A policy statement of the American Academy of Pediatrics published online ahead of print in the March issue of the journal Pediatrics offers guidance to parents and pediatricians on skin cancer prevention and safe sun exposure practices.

The use of tanning salons is a common among teenagers, a survey says 24 percent of non-Hispanic white teenagers ages 13-19 say they used a tanning facility at least once and the intensity of ultraviolet radiation produced by some tanning units can be 10 to 15 times higher than the midday sun, Pediatrics says.

The policy statement says lifelong sun protection is recommended starting at an early age and pediatricians should advise children, parents and teens about the dangers of ultraviolet radiation exposure.

Recommendations include wearing proper clothing and hats, timing outdoor activities to minimize peak midday sun -- 10 a.m.- 4 p.m. -- when possible, applying sunscreen and wearing sunglasses, but infants younger than 6 months should be kept out of direct sunlight, the statement says.