Lobbyist claims tanning bed ban for minors will lead to sunscreen fines for parents

So far this afternoon, two lobbyists have testified against HB 486, the bill to ban the use of tanning beds for minors. Jerry Deckard of the Idaho Indoor Tanning Association told the House Health & Welfare Committee, “A 17-year-old can drive a car,” with all the risks of driving, “and yet you would not be able to get a sun tan.”

Wayne Hoffman of the Idaho Freedom Foundation told the panel that next, the government will fine parents who let their children outside without sunscreen. Rep. Tom Loertscher, R-Iona, asked Hoffman, “Could you show me in the bill where it shows you can’t let your kids out in the sunshine?” Hoffman responded, “Obviously that’s not in the bill, but my point is we’re finding new ways to invite government interaction with people’s families. … Parents and families should still matter.”

Numerous dermatologists and melanoma survivors testified in favor of the bill last Thursday; Idaho has the highest rate of melanoma deaths in the nation, and 34 percent of Idaho girls have used tanning beds by age 17. Jared Scott, a Boise native and Yale fellowship- trained dermatologist, told the committee this afternoon that people who have been exposed to indoor tanning beds have a 75 percent increased risk of melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer.