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New York attorney general's lawsuits accuse tanning salons of concealing indoor tanning risks

New York Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman has filed lawsuits against two tanning salon franchises in the state.

The suits accuse Portofino Spas and Total Tan of false advertising “by denying or minimizing scientific evidence linking tanning to an increased cancer risk; promoting indoor tanning as a safe way to reap the benefits of vitamin D and other purported health benefits; and asserting the safety of indoor tanning compared to tanning outdoors,” according to a press release on the attorney general’s website. Portofino operates five retail tanning salons in Manhattan, and Total Tan operates 26 retail tanning salons in the state.

Schneiderman also sent a notice of intent to bring similar action against Beach Bum Tanning Salons, with 14 locations in New York City and Long Island, for “its misleading representations about the healthfulness of indoor tanning,” and Planet Fitness, which operates 101 gyms across the state, for violating New York State tanning laws, including failure to provide required warnings to consumers, the release stated.

“There is nothing safe about indoor tanning,” Schneiderman said in the release. “The use of ultraviolet (UV) devices increases exposure to cancer-causing radiation and puts millions of Americans in serious danger — young adults, in particular.”

The release cited the July 2014 U.S. Surgeon General’s “Call to Action to Prevent Skin Cancer,” which documented the rise in skin cancers and outlined action steps to prevent the cancers from increasing, including the reduction of UV light exposure for the purpose of tanning.

Indoor tanning is prohibited for children under 17 in New York, according to the release. The state’s law also requires that warning signs be posted outside of tanning beds, and that tanning hazards information sheets and acknowledgement forms are distributed to tanning patrons. Additionally, the law requires free protective eyewear to be made available for tanning patrons.

Reference: www.ag.ny.gov.