NY Could Soon Have Toughest Teen Tanning Law in the Country

Some New York counties,  like Rockland, Suffolk and Nassau, have even more stringent restrictions than what's already on the books.

The bill (S3461A) is currently in committee and has bipartisan support in the Legislature. It would also have to be merged with a general assembly version to make it out alive. If ithe bill becomes law, it would prohibit children 18 and younger from using an ultraviolet radiation device unless they have special permission from a doctor. 

Dr. Darell Rigel, a dermatologist at New York University's Langone Medical Center, said the law is necessary to protect minors from a cancer-causing agent.

“This is exactly the same as cigarette smoking,” he said. “We should protect minors from this carcinogen.”

In the last 20 years, Rigel has seen an increase in melanoma cases among younger patients. Overall, he's also seen an uptick in skin cancer as well. He has been practicing medicine in New York City for nearly three decades. 

“There are lots of studies that show that exposure early in life [to ultraviolet rays] increases your risk later in life,” said Rigel.