Tanning Beds Could Be a No-No for Those Under 18

Kids under 18 may have to "get their tan on" the old fashioned way if Governor Janet Mills signs a bill on her desk.

The Senate sent the bill to Governor Mills' desk on Wednesday. If the Democratic governor signs it, Maine would join 17 other states that would ban minors under 18 from tanning beds. In years past, the effort to pass has failed, but under a newly Democratic Legislature, has picked up support.

Several Republican senators say the bill will be harmful to tanning businesses. An effort by Republicans to allow those under 18 to use a tanning machine with a prescription failed.

Supporters say that research indicating overexposure to ultraviolet rays occurs more often in teens and increases the chance of skin cancer in later years. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, over half of indoor tanners started before the age of 21, while a third began tanning before they turned 18.