PUBLIC OPINION > Keep Minors Out of Tanning Beds
SodaHead Living
2012/05/14 16:00:00
Following accusations that New Jersey mom Patricia Krentcil placed her 6-year-old daughter in a tanning booth, New York and Chicago lawmakers are proposing to ban minors from using tanning booths. They hope to quell the influx of teens tanning before prom and combat an increase in skin cancer over the last decade, but putting it on the books would obviously impact the tanning business. We asked the public if minors should be banned.
Personal freedom is well and good, but when there are mothers like Krentcil endangering their children, it becomes a matter of public safety. 83% of respondents were fine with a ban, and many thought it was badly needed. The Top Opinion read, "Nobody should use tanning booths, ever. You are literally cooking yourself, it's disgusting." Of course, they're not going to ban it for everyone, but as one commenter wrote, "It's like allowing a minor to drive." Or to smoke, or to drink. It takes a certain level of responsibility.
Libertarians Are Reluctant
Support for the ban was pretty universal, even winning over ban-wary conservatives with 84% of their vote. But the one demographic that came close to rejecting it were the libertarians. 41% of libertarians opposed the idea. As we've seen evidenced in previous polls, libertarians do tend stick to their guns on issues of banning. They genuinely don't like them.
Parents Would Be Pleased
Beyond libertarians, variance was pretty limited. Teens were a little more opposed to the ban than parents, but only by about 5%. That suggests the pre-prom teen tanners that New York lawmakers are worried about aren't all that common, which is reassuring. It also indicates most parents are going to try to keep their kids out of tanning booths whether there's a ban or not.
Men Are A Little More Opposed
One of the only other significant differences was between men and women -- a margin of about 10%. Studies have shown that women are more likely to use tanning beds, though men who use tanning beds typically use them more often. This difference could simply reflect the fact that many men are less familiar with the dangers of tanning beds, as they usually have nothing to do with the things.
If you'd like to vote on this question, dig deeper into the demographics, or engage in existing discussion about the topic, visit our poll about tanning beds. We'd love to hear from you!
Yes, and we should also allow bar and liquor store owners to decide who is old enough to drink. Or maybe we should let car salesmen decide who is old enough to drive. You are correct. The people with a vested interest in selling the product or service are definitely the right people to dictate who is allowed to do what.
Much like tattooing, tanning seems like a good idea when you are young and by the time you reach the age of reason, it is too late. If your parents have poor judgement, you will be hobbled in ways beyond your control.
Or 16 year old limit on driving?
Or the drinking age?
Voting?
Are all of these overreaches, as well?
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Is it because society likes to control children? Or is it because children are impulsive and possibly a danger to themselves or others?
Adults were once teenagers and before that we were children. We know what it is like to be young and feel you are old enough to make life changing decisions, but we ALSO know what youthful ignorance costs as time goes on...
You have your whole life to ruin your skin and possibly develop any number of cancers.
Is it because society likes to control children? Or is it because children are impulsive and possibly a danger to themselves or others?
Adults were once teenagers and before that we were children. We know what it is like to be young and feel you are old enough to make life changing decisions, but we ALSO know what youthful ignorance costs as time goes on...
You have your whole life to ruin your skin and possibly develop any number of cancers.
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If you follow politics, you know most of the adults in this country are not smart nor informed enough to vote yet there is no intelligence test required. You will also notice how dumbed down our elections are. We are treated like idiots because this country is filled people who vote based on with whom they would rather have a beer. I am glad you are now a voter, but I am not so glad about many who have been old enough for years....
Laws to protect the young are a necessity. The fact that the young disagree is really not surprising....