Tanning has become a hot topic among students in the Westside community, activists, doctors, and politicians. There is a lot of debate about whether tanning should be legal for kids under the age of 18. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2.3 out of 28 million people who go tanning are teens. 

While there are many preventive methods when it comes getting skin cancer while tanning, one of the most effective, though, is not tanning at all. It has been proven that tanning leads to skin cancer according to the Skin Cancer Foundation. The Nebraska Cancer Coalition came to Emspace, a communications strategies firm, to promote a campaign about educating teenagers about the risks of tanning beds. The Bed is Dead is a state wide campaign that is headed by Kristin Webb, a communications specialist and emspace. 

“I am the emspace on behalf the cancer collation, communicator, project manager, and keeping everyone connected.” Kristin Webb said. 

Emspace is working to prevent cancer, and while most people only look at the negative sides of tanning, but tanning has been proven to do good things. But a study done by a British medical journal proved tanning reduces heart diseases. Although skin cancer is a possibility when tanning, tanning also gives you vitamin D. Tanning has also been proven to relieve aches and pains.  

“I started tanning when I was 14 years old and tanned several times a year until I was 23.” said Jessica Guerrero, a patient diagnosed with melanoma in 2011. “After having genetic testing done, it has been determined that my cancer was triggered purely by environmental factors, meaning my tanning and lack of ever wearing sunscreen. Had I known the risks that it posed and how deadly it is, I probably wouldn’t have tanned to begin with.” 

36 states currently restrict indoor tanning by minors. Nebraska is working to get a law passed to ban tanning to 16 and under. Dave Watts is the lead dermatologist heading the campaign The Bed is Dead. Watts is a skin cancer surgeon, and believes that young women shouldn’t die from a preventable cancer. Emspace is working with Watts to show teens the dangers and the preventable methods that you can take to reduce your changes of getting skin cancer. 

The campaign will not only be run through social media but there is also a melanoma walk to raise recognition, also dermatologists are visiting schools around the metro. You can take the pledge today to stay out of the tanning beds. 

Tanning at a young age can be risky, and it can be harmful to teenagers and adults all around the country.

“I started when I was 16, parents had to be with me and sign a contract, the owner wanted my mom there just to make sure that she was okay with it,” said junior Skylar Ricceri. “Some friends don’t  like me tanning, one of friends gave me a lecture about it, it freaked me out for a while but it just made me more aware.”