Dear Editor:
The Ministry of Health has just announced that the B.C. government will be banning indoor tanning for youth under the age of 18. We thank the B.C. government for taking this step towards protecting the health of B.C.'s youth. According to the World Health Organization, any use of indoor tanning equipment before the age of 35 has been found to increase the risk of melanoma by 75 per cent. Melanoma is one of the most common and deadly forms of skin cancer for young people, even though it is mostly preventable.
We are two of the Tan Free Grad Leaders for the Canadian Cancer Society's Tan Free Grad Challenge at Burnaby North Secondary. At present, students can still access indoor tanning beds, which is why we want to raise awareness about this health issue and encourage students at our school to own their own skin tone for graduation.
Our goals as advocates of this campaign is to have all of our fellow Grade 12 students pledging to be tan-free for prom and to educate our peers about the dangers of UV radiation.
For more information about Tanning is Out, join the Tanning is Out Facebook page,www.facebook.com/TanningIsOut or visit www.cancergameplan.ca.
Valerie Lang and Akira Xu, Tan Free Grad Leaders, Burnaby North Secondary
