The Tanning Industry Fights Teen Bans

The last few years have been dark ones for the tanning business. First, the Affordable Care Act hit tanning salons with a 10 percent excise tax. Next, California, Vermont, New York State, and Chicago barred them from serving minors, even teenagers who have their parents’ permission. Then there was last year’s national outrage over “Tan Mom,” the bizarrely brown New Jersey woman accused of tanning at a salon together with her 6-year-old daughter: not exactly an image-booster for the industry.

In a bid to give it a better rep and fight state and local bans on teen tanning, the owners of 1,400 U.S. salons have formed the American Suntanning Association. “The same misinformation that has been provided to the general public has been provided at an even more intense level to lawmakers,” says Jan Meshon, co-owner of City Sun Tanning in New York City. “As crazy as it sounds, we feel very strongly, and I think that the data supports us, that most of the science is on our side.”