There’s a new law limiting the use of tanning beds in Maryland, and we’re proud to be a part it!
The Aesthetic & Dermatology Center has long been an active participant in advancing the field of dermatology and all matters related to skin care, and I have been invested in public health and patient advocacy for my entire career. Now, I am proud to have been a crucial part in the passing of a new law in the state of Maryland that makes it illegal for people under the age of 18 to use tanning salons.
This law has been many years in the making, and it has been a struggle to convince the state legislature to pass it. I have testified in front of state legislature in favor of this bill multiple times and this year, they finally understood our reasoning and passed the bill. Tanning is inherently very dangerous, and children (people under 18) simply don’t yet understand the risks they are incurring from tanning beds that can haunt them the rest of their lives.
As adults, we take full responsibility for our actions regardless of how dangerous they may be to our own bodies, but children are not yet ready to make life altering decisions on their own.
It is not like getting your nails done or dying your hair. Tanning can cause life-threatening cancer, and certainly with repeated use ages us beyond our actual years.
With smoking, we make people wait until they are 18 or even 21 years old because, after reaching the age of majority, we assume that they are capable of assessing and assuming the risks of their actions. Tanning is much the same. Tanning is a seriously dangerous activity, and I am proud to have been a part of passing this law to help protect our youth!
In my testimony, I spoke on behalf of American Academy of Dermatology Association, the Montgomery County Medical Society, and the Maryland Medical Society. I am on the board of directors for the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) and I am currently the president of the Montgomery County Medical Society.
Since the beginning of my career, being a patient advocate and an instrumental part in the progression of the field of dermatology has been at the center of my mission.
Patient wellness and better patient outcomes is one of the driving forces behind my advocacy, and we firmly believe that prevention is the best course of treatment. This tanning law is intended to help children from engaging in an inherently dangerous activity until they are ready and capable to assess their risk completely.
I won’t stop advocating for all of the people of our community—not just my patients.
From clinical trials, to participation in medical societies, to helping pass laws that protect our youth, patient advocacy will remain at the heart of my mission.