Government
Proposal would turn off tanning lights for teens
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By PATRICK LYONS
Capital News Service
LANSING – Scientists disagree whether the use of tanning beds causes cancer, but some legislators say there’s enough evidence to ban minors from indoor tanning facilities. The proposal to ban minors from using tanning facilities is sponsored by Rep. Jim Townsend, D-Royal Oak. He compares the bill to laws placing age restrictions on purchasing tobacco products or alcohol. But the industry counters that a ban would be both unwarranted and economically damaging. John Overstreet, executive director of the Indoor Tanning Association based in Washington D.C., said that reports have shown no strong link between tanning beds and melanoma, a form of skin cancer.