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Legislation limiting indoor tanning grows worldwide

The number of countries restricting indoor tanning use by young people increased 5.5-fold during an 8-year period, according to recent study results.

Researchers used Internet search engines Google and Yahoo to assemble a list of nations with legislative restrictions on indoor tanning in an international cross-sectional study from January 2011 to June 2011. They collected current legislation regarding indoor tanning and compared it with existing legislation from 2003.

The investigators observed an increase in the number of countries restricting indoor tanning for individuals aged 18 years or younger from two in 2003 to 11 in 2011. In addition to Brazil, where legislation banned indoor tanning for people of all ages, and France, other countries with restrictions now include Spain, Portugal, Austria, Germany, Belgium, England, Wales, Northern Ireland, and Scotland. Results also showed eight additional states — New Hampshire, North Dakota, North Carolina, California, New York, New Jersey, Maine, and Delaware — have enacted indoor tanning legislation for minors since 2003. Texas, Illinois and Wisconsin already had age-restrictive legislation; Vermont joined the list earlier this year.

Also six states or territories in Australia prohibited indoor tanning to all minors, and a province and region in Canada applied youth tanning laws.

“Since 2003, youth access to indoor tanning has become increasingly restricted throughout the world as accumulating evidence demonstrated an association between melanoma and indoor tanning,” the researchers concluded. “The National Conference of State Legislatures provides an updated web registry of indoor tanning legislation. We recommend a similar registry for legislation throughout the world.”