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Local businesses react to teen tanning ban

A tan ban is now in place for Illinois teens under the age of 18 and tanning salons on both sides of the river are not happy about it. “It’s going t...

A tan ban is now in place for Illinois teens under the age of 18 and tanning salons on both sides of the river are not happy about it.

"It's going to have a negative impact on my business,” said Debbie Clement, owner of Doug’s Electra Beach Tanning in Moline.

Clement says around 30% of her clients are teens.

"Parents, if they want their children to tan, then they should be able to. If mom and dad say it’s okay then it should be okay,” said Clement.

But Governor Quinn disagrees. On Thursday, August 15, 2013, he signed a bill banning teens under 18 from tanning beds citing research about cancer concerns. A statement from the Officer of the Governor points to research showing that people using tanning beds at a young age have a 75% higher risk of developing melanoma.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in a 2011 study, 29% of white high school girls reported tanning indoors. So won’t Illinois teens just cross the river to tan in Iowa?

"It really depends on the individual, whether or not they’re willing to go over river or bridge,” said Jana Steil, owner of Bayside Tan in Davenport.

She isn’t jumping up and down about a potential increase in business.

"This ban will hurt the Illinois salons and I certainly don't look to capitalize on their loss of revenue,” said Steil.

Steil feels the benefits of tanning are being overlooked.

"Vitamin D is very, very, your bodies depend on it and if you're not getting enough Vitamin D then you can suffer from sicknesses, illness, cancers, by having a lack of Vitamin D in your body,” said Steil.

Steil adds that she isn’t a fan of teen tanning regulation anywhere.

"I'm not jumping up and down for any type of regulation,” said Steil.

Iowa currently does not have a state wide ban on teen tanning. The ban in Illinois goes into effect January 1, 2014.

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