Two South Carolina senators presented a bill to prevent minors from using tanning beds.
South Carolina is currently one of 16 states which allows minors to use tanning beds with a parent or guardian’s consent.
The bill, which senators Brad Hutto and Darrell Jackson presented, states the tanning business must require customers to present identification with their age and requires the business to post warnings about the health risks of tanning. The bill also calls for a civil punishment for businesses which fail to meet the requirements.
There are six states with no restrictions on underage tanning and 16 states have a total ban on minors using commerical tanning beds.
“We don’t let young people make decisions about their longterm health until they get to be 18,” Senator Brad Hutto said. “That’s why we don’t let young people smoke, we don’t let them drink alcohol. There is bill spending related to vaping as well, but this is another area in which the health of children is really something the state should protect.”
