My Two Cents: Rejecting the tanning bed temptation a good choice indeed
Kate Barker
Issue date: 10/13/09 Section: Opinion
Speeches, appearances from local law enforcement officers (the last time many of my peers would be seeing these civic servants for pleasure rather than business), and a homemade poster contest were on the agenda. For my part, I was planning on contributing a bit of anti-smoking propaganda.
I had put my shoddy artistry skills to their meager use by sketching a train going through a tunnel.
The terribly creative twist here was that the train was actually a smoking cigarette.
To really drive this point home, I added a sloppily-drawn sign at the mouth of the tunnel that proclaimed "Wrong Way."
Shockingly, I did not place in the competition.
Taking it home after the graduation ceremonies, I remember my mother candidly telling me that she had smoked as a young person -- and that most all of her friends had as well.
I clutched my D.A.R.E. badge the way religious zealots might grasp a crucifix at the mention of the devil.
How could she have made such a grievous error?
"We didn't know it was bad for us," she explained, "even doctors smoked."
But my overly-pious 11-year-old self wasn't sold on the notion that an entire generation of people somehow decided that inhaling vast quantities of smoke into their pink lungs could be good for them.
And I can't help but feel the same about tanning.
I'm not saying I didn't do it. I'm not saying that many people still don't.
What I am proposing is that we all take a moment to consider what we are doing to our young skin in an age where cancer is running rampant.
This way, we don't find ourselves thirty years down the line, with a face full of wrinkles and a puzzled looking eleven-year-old of our own asking us blankly: "you didn't know tanning was bad for you?
How could you think that laying four inches away from ultra-violet rays could be good for you?"
I had put my shoddy artistry skills to their meager use by sketching a train going through a tunnel.
The terribly creative twist here was that the train was actually a smoking cigarette.
To really drive this point home, I added a sloppily-drawn sign at the mouth of the tunnel that proclaimed "Wrong Way."
Shockingly, I did not place in the competition.
Taking it home after the graduation ceremonies, I remember my mother candidly telling me that she had smoked as a young person -- and that most all of her friends had as well.
I clutched my D.A.R.E. badge the way religious zealots might grasp a crucifix at the mention of the devil.
How could she have made such a grievous error?
"We didn't know it was bad for us," she explained, "even doctors smoked."
But my overly-pious 11-year-old self wasn't sold on the notion that an entire generation of people somehow decided that inhaling vast quantities of smoke into their pink lungs could be good for them.
And I can't help but feel the same about tanning.
I'm not saying I didn't do it. I'm not saying that many people still don't.
What I am proposing is that we all take a moment to consider what we are doing to our young skin in an age where cancer is running rampant.
This way, we don't find ourselves thirty years down the line, with a face full of wrinkles and a puzzled looking eleven-year-old of our own asking us blankly: "you didn't know tanning was bad for you?
How could you think that laying four inches away from ultra-violet rays could be good for you?"
Viewing Comments 1 - 10 of 13
Alison F.
posted 10/16/09 @ 9:59 AM EST
This is a statement of a college student posting an uncredible and uneducated opposition to tanning.
This is only a opinion....
If Kate had researched and educated herself on the topic, before stating her opinion, she would have come to the conclusion that the IARC was wrong to release this misleading information. (Continued…)
Tracie
posted 10/16/09 @ 10:19 AM EST
Funny that you mention smoking, because they were the biggest contributors to the American Medical Association before we found out that cigarrettes cause cancer. (Continued…)
Eric OLson
posted 10/16/09 @ 11:07 AM EST
This article is so ridiculous. Why dont you look up the facts on the subject. If one was to go by this article, they would never get out of bed for fear of the sky falling on them. (Continued…)
Melissa
posted 10/16/09 @ 11:16 AM EST
Are you aware that oral contraceptives are also in the same category as arsenic and mustard gas? Are you going to write an article suggesting women stop taking them? Alcoholic beverages is also on the list. (Continued…)
Jeff
posted 10/16/09 @ 11:17 AM EST
I agree with the other comments. Moderate Sun exposure is key. Tanning in a controlled enviornment is a smarter decision vs. outdoors as it is monitored and calibrated to only emit a total of 4 Meds per session, can't say that about outside. (Continued…)
Lemmy C.
posted 10/16/09 @ 4:10 PM EST
So now we know who's going to be infecting the masses with the H1N1 when she gets it with her weakened immune system thanks to her low Vitamin D levels thanks to the lack of sunlight in her life because her personal perception is for some reason more important than good health and now she'll be breathing on her pale friends with weak ass immune systems in the name of saving a couple bucks and some phony idea that the sun is bad for you. (Continued…)
Mr Science
posted 10/17/09 @ 2:01 PM EST
"It shouldn't. Because as enjoyable as a December tan may very well be, I'm not sure a future's worth of chemotherapy sessions is a fair exchange."
What are you talking about? Skin cancer is 98% treatable as in the most treatable of all cancers. (Continued…)
j
posted 10/23/09 @ 2:50 AM EST
So now we know who's going to be infecting the masses with the H1N1 when she gets it with her weakened immune system thanks to her low Vitamin D levels thanks to the lack of sunlight in her life because her personal perception is for some reason more important than good health and now she'll be breathing on her pale friends with weak ass immune systems in the name of saving a couple bucks and some phony idea that the sun is bad for you. (Continued…)
Kate has a point
posted 10/27/09 @ 11:44 AM EST
It's just unfortunate that most of you who commented angrily above, in your haste to jump down her throat over what she was saying, never grasped the major idea of her article. (Continued…)
Analytical essay
posted 10/28/09 @ 2:57 PM EST
The main idea of its articles clearly stated. Kate, you wrote a great article. It's a pity that it is not clear for all!
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