A new survey reveals that parents are often the ones who introduce their children to the practice of tanning despite evidence that tanning beds cause cancer.
The survey involved about 1500 Ontario residents between the ages of 12 and 17. Results showed that more young people are tanning than before – 8 per cent use tanning beds compared to only 5 per cent in 2006. One-quarter said that their parents first introduced them to tanning and more than half, said that their parents pay for their indoor tanning sessions.
Provinces in Canada including Nova Scotia and British Columbia have banned indoor tanning amongst youth. Other jurisdictions including California, Australia, Britain and France have done the same.
It’s thought that indoor tanning remains popular because many people don’t understand the risks. Read more here.
It’s kinda like teaching your children that if you smoke it’s okay for them to smoke as well. As it becomes more and more well known that tanning is dangerous parents should be sharing safe alternatives for their teens to feel more confident with their skin.