Tanning Bed Warning from the World Health Organization

In July, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), a working group of the World Health Organization, announced that tanning beds and other ultraviolet radiating emitting devices were added to the “Group One” list of the most dangerous forms of cancer-causing radiation; those that are carcinogenic. They join the list alongside tobacco and arsenic. The research was published online in the August issue of the medical journal, The Lancet Oncology. The team of scientists from the IARC analyzed results from about 20 studies. Tanning beds were added to “Group One” based on consistent evidence of a link between UV radiation from tanning beds (which largely give off ultraviolet A rays) and all 3 forms of skin cancer, including melanomas. The studies also concluded that the risk of skin cancer jumps nearly 75 percent in those that use tanning beds before the age of 30. Previous studies showed that younger people who regularly use tanning beds are eight times more likely to get melanoma than people who have never used them. PLEASE do not agree to let your teenager go into a tanning booth! This is risky behavior, no different than offering to buy your teen a pack of cigarettes or drink alcoholic beverages!