TAX NEWS - June 2010

Tanning tax could help deter cancer-causing practice

For many image-conscious Utahns, hitting up a tanning salon is a winter rite of passage. But starting next month, a 10 percent federal tax on indoor tanning might discourage many young adults from seeking that bronzed look.

The tax is aimed to discourage young adults from over-tanning, and I say bravo to the federal government. A recent American Academy of Dermatology Association study showed that indoor tanning before the age of 35 increases the chances of developing melanoma by 75 percent.

"At a societal level, we value the sun-kissed surfer look," said Liz Joy, director of the Utah Health Research Network. "That look is driving more people to (indoor tanning use), which can lead to real consequences down the road."

Most tanning salons charge between five and eight dollars per use. The 10 percent tax would be less than a dollar in most cases.

Salt Lake City's European Tanning is advertising a "Beat the Tan Tax" deal that gives customers the option to buy up to two years of tanning services at the current price before the tax goes into effect.

"We figure if you are going to tan, then the tax really isn't going to stop you," said European Tanning employee Jessica Hales. "It feels like they are targeting small businesses, and I don't think 80 cents will help that much."

But with the high amount of indoor tanning use by the high school and college-aged population, the tax should at the very least make them think about tanning more than they had to in the past. And the research might discourage people from wanting to go back.

The UV radiation in indoor tanning devices can be up to 15 times stronger than normal sunlight. Recently, UV rays were classified by the International Agency for Research on Cancer as a group one carcinogen—tanning beds have the ability to do as much damage as tobacco, mustard gas and plutonium to a human body.

"Our latest studies have shown that one in 10 teens are using tanning facilities," Joy said. "At this rate, we may start to see cases of melanoma in increasingly younger populations."

One in five Americans will develop a form of skin cancer at some point during their lifetime. Melanoma does not discriminate—people of all ethnicities and skin types are at risk of developing melanoma from prolonged sun exposure.

More than 1 million new cases of skin cancer are diagnosed each year. In fact, according to the American Academy of Dermatology, melanoma is the second most common cancer in women ages 20 to 29. What was once considered a grandparent's disease is now rapidly becoming a nightmare for many young adults.