News

House backs ban on tanning beds for minors in La.

by Walter Pierce

New Orleans Rep. Helena Moreno, a Democrat, describes her bill as a cancer-prevention measure

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) - The House has agreed to prohibit anyone under the age of 18 in Louisiana from using a tanning bed.

New Orleans Rep. Helena Moreno, a Democrat, describes her bill as a cancer-prevention measure. She says it would lower risks of skin cancer associated with exposure to ultraviolet radiation from sunlight or tanning lamps and beds.

The House voted 97-1 for the proposal Wednesday, sending it to the Senate for debate.

The only lawmaker to oppose the bill was Rep. Richard Burford, a Republican from Stonewall, who says he disagrees with government telling parents how to raise their children.

At least five states ban the use of tanning beds for minors, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.