Tanning Bed Ban Considered For Teenagers (VIDEO, POLL)

Taking a cue from British legislators, 12 states in the U.S. have bills pending that propose age restrictions for using commercial tanning salons, ABC News reports. Among them: California, Illinois and New York. In fact, Texas, always on the cutting edge, banned sun beds for anyone under 16-and-a-half years old.

Indoor tanning before age 35 raises the risk of melanoma by 75 percent and the World Health Organization added tanning beds to its Group 1 List of cancer causing substances (the same category as cigarettes)...although, oddly the FDA still has the "cancer coffins" lumped in with Band-Aids. Time to reevaluate.

The Indoor Tanning Association claims it's a decision that should be left to a teen's parents, releasing a statement that read: "If such a law were to pass, a 17-year-old could drive a car, get married, have children, go off to college, join the military and not be allowed to suntan indoors."

Said 17-year-old could still watch "Jersey Shore" -- or any MTV programming, for that matter -- which we think should be convincing enough to stay out of the bronzing booth.

What do you think?

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(Via Styleite)