Coffin Beds

I’ve heard people refer to tanning beds as “coffin beds”.  Makes sense, they kind of look like one.  They open relatively the same way; they’re just one door versus the deathly double door variety.  You lie in them, silent and still.  Quite a few of us ladies tribute the use of tanning beds to our cell mutation.  Though I’m sure there are a handful of men that will admit to using them, too.  I know that about 60% of the time that I was at a tanning salon, either a man was working there or a man was there working on his tan.

Tanning beds and coffins have since taken on a whoooooole new meaning and it could never be any realer.  That stupid ‘coffin bed ’ could potentially put us in a real one…all for a tan (or a typically a burn in my case).  And a tan that we shelled money out for – how lame!  I think tanning bed manufactures should totally start making tanning beds look like real coffins.  That would make peeps think twice.  Although it may backfire and cause the goths to have a sudden urge for a glorious glow. 

I’ve read that the ultra violet light emitted by tanning beds is as carcinogenic as cigarettes, arsenic and asbestos – just to name a few.  Way creepy.  This is why legislation banning the use of tanning beds by anyone under the age 18 is sweeping the country.  The Nation is catching on.  Currently the only states that ban use by anyone under age 18 is CA (which we were the FIRST state to do this!), NV, OR (as of 01/2014), TX (as of 09/2013) and VT.  Bans for under anyone under 17 is currently only NJ & NY.  Lots of other states have bans, but those need to change for the better. 

Here is the link from the National Conference of State Legislatures that includes the above information:

http://www.ncsl.org/issues-research/health/indoor-tanning-restrictions.aspx 

If you're in a state that currently does not have a ban, or that ban could be updated to a respectable age limit, and you have an opportunity to write a letter to your legislators, I BEG that you do.  Lets try to change the future for our younger peeps so hopefully they wont have to go through what we do :)