The bill would require anyone under 18 years old to get a doctor's note before using a tanning bed.

A proposal that would make it harder for Texas teenagers to enter the tanning bed was compared to legislation against Big Tobacco as lawmakers took up the issue.

"In the United states and Texas, we don't allow our teens to purchase cigarettes until after they are 18 because it is a carcinogen," said Rep. Burt Solomons. "Yet we don't do that for tanning beds, which can expose teens to the same risk for cancer."

The bill would require anyone under 18 years old to get a doctor's note before using a tanning bed and would require a parent be with them in the salon. Supporters and detractors said this would be the strictest legislation any state has passed on teen tanning.

Current Texas law requires parent permission slips for children up to 18 and that adults go with their children if they are under 16. Children under 13 can also tan if they get permission from a doctor.

In testimony to the board Tuesday, one of the state's largest tanning salons said current oversight is strong enough, and that parents should decide whether their child can use a tanning bed.

"This should not be a state issue, a doctor's issue -- it's a parental issue. I have a right to decide what is right or wrong for my daughter," said Diane Lucas, president of Texas-based Palm Beach Tan. She was also representing the Indoor Tanning Association.

Lucas said there are 75 Palm Beach Tans in Texas employing more than 500 Texans. Though she said the average age of their clients is 32, the loss of business from restricting teen access would hurt small businesses in a tough economy.

Dermatologists and melanoma survivors argued that tanning beds are a proven risk for skin cancer including melanoma, and teens are at particularly high risk for such damage.

"Epidemiological studies have now shown that even one exposure to tanning beds before the age of 35 can increase your risk for melanoma," said Sharon Raimer, a dermatologist and president of the Texas Dermatological Society. Raimer said she favors the bill.

UV light treatments similar to tanning beds are used to treat some skin conditions, but Raimer said she would prefer those be treated in a controlled, medical environment.

Both sides acknowledged that a doctor's note would be difficult to get if the bill passed. The bill was left pending in the House Public Health Committee.

Parents should keep their kids out of tanning salons, according to pediatrician Dr. Cara Natterson.

"The sun produces two kinds of light: visible and ultraviolet (UV)," explains pediatrician Dr. Cara Natterson. "It is the UV light that makes us tan or burn. When tanning beds were first coming into popularity, some people said that they were safer than the sun. These folks argued that if you tanned yourself on a tanning bed before going into the sun, you would be less likely to burn. Because sun cancers are highly correlated with burns, especially blistering burns, tanning beds were supposed to 'protect' you."

"But as it turns out," Dr. Cara continues, "tanning beds are probably no safer than the sun. Three studies were published last year concluding that 'there is no such thing as a safe tan.' Tanning beds use UV light and this is known to cause skin cancer."

Dr. Cara's bottom line: "Now, more than ever, people need to understand the risks of UV exposure," she says. "When you go out in the sun, you should be using sunscreen. And in
my opinion, parents should keep their kids out of tanning salons."

What do you think of this proposed teen tan ban?