City To Crack Down On Tanning Salons

I’m not one to go tanning at a salon, but I’ve got enough carrot-toned neighbors to know it’s a pretty popular pastime in our area. So I thought I’d pass along the news that the Bloomberg administration has announced a new set of regulations for tanning salons and will soon begin inspections to ensure compliance.

The biggest policy changes is a new requirement that the Health Department inspect tanning salons, UV machines and timers every two years, and that salons install signs warning customers of the dangers of skin cancer that could result from use of the equipment.

While conducting inspections, the Health department will also be checking permits, according to the New York Post, as there are at least 100 tanning salons that are operating illegally in New York City.

Here are a few more details from the paper:

Operators of UV equipment for the first time would undergo training.

The department will also enforce the state law that bars adolescents under 17 from frequenting tanning salons and launch a public education campaign at salons to warn New Yorkers — particularly adolescents — of the dangers of absorbing too much UV radiation.

So is this more nanny-ism, or good public health policy? You tell us.