Roswell Park Officials Applaud Lawmakers for Passing Tanning Legislation

BUFFALO, NY — Officials at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center (Roswell Park) applaud the New York State Legislature for supporting a bill that would delay the age at which New Yorkers can begin to expose themselves to indoor tanning.

Both houses of the Legislature have voted to approve legislation banning use of ultraviolet (UV) radiation devices by those 16 and under. The bill awaits the signature of Gov. Andrew Cuomo.

“Passage of this bill will provide significant protection for teenagers by decreasing their lifetime UV exposure,” said Nathalie Zeitouni, MD, Chief of Dermatologic Surgery at Roswell Park. “A ban on indoor tanning for all minors would be ideal to protect vulnerable young people from being exposed to potentially harmful carcinogens, but this legislation impacting New Yorkers 16 and under is a step in the right direction and will protect our youngest citizens from UV-induced damage.”

Numerous well-designed studies have shown that exposure to UV radiation is the most significant environmental risk factor in the development of melanoma, the most deadly form of skin cancer. 

“We’re grateful to Senator Charles Fuschillo and Assemblyman Harvey Weisenberg for introducing and championing this legislation,” said Roswell Park President and CEO Donald L. Trump, MD. “We add our strongest endorsement to this support from New York lawmakers, and encourage Governor Cuomo to make signing of this life-saving bill a priority.”

Roswell Park partnered with the American Cancer Society and the Western New York Cancer Coalition to advocate for the bill.

The mission of Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center is to understand, prevent and cure cancer. Roswell Park, founded in 1898, was one of the first cancer centers in the country to be named a National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center and remains the only facility with this designation in Upstate New York. The Institute is a member of the prestigious National Comprehensive Cancer Network, an alliance of the nation’s leading cancer centers; maintains affiliate sites; and is a partner in national and international collaborative programs. For more information, visit Roswell Park’s website at http://www.roswellpark.org, call 1-800-ROSWELL (1-800-767-9355) or email AskRoswell@Roswellpark.org.