Let’s face it: getting that perfect, golden summer glow has never been easy. For years, tanning in indoor beds has been used as an alternative to spending an entire day in the sun; however, the state of Texas has now banned the use of tanning beds for minors. Truthfully, it’s a surprise that this law wasn’t passed previously, and the court’s decision to protect minors from the dangers of tanning beds was the best thing to do.

In 2012, some tanning locations allowed parental consent, parental permission, or parental accompaniment for minors to tan, but extensive research proved that exposure of UV damage is more common in teens. Sunburns and overexposure during childhood greatly increase the chances of developing skin cancer later in life.  The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has stated that avoiding tanning beds at a young age can decrease your chances of being diagnosed with any form of skin cancer. The most common cancers are melanoma, which is treatable but can spread to other areas of the body and can become lethal, and nonmelanoma, which is less likely to spread to other body parts but can be lethal if not treated properly.  In 2013, the American Cancer Society estimated 76,690 cases of melanoma in the United States and 9,480 deaths from the disease during the year, most of those numbers due to indoor tanning beds. The numbers are staggering, and in order to change the future of those youth, lawmakers have put a ban on your tan.