About Indoor Tan-Free Skin Smart Campus
Despite the known risks, indoor tanning is common among adolescents and young adults with 37% of white adolescent females and 11% of adolescent white males having used indoor tanning facilities at least once in their lifetime.1 Additionally, early research suggests that indoor tanning has addictive properties and that the risk of addiction is higher for individuals who begin tanning at an earlier age.2,3
The Indoor Tan-Free Skin Smart Campus Initiative is sponsored by the National Council on Skin Cancer Prevention in response to the 2014 U.S. The Surgeon General’s Call to Action to Prevent Skin Cancer. The Indoor Tan-Free Skin Smart Campus Initiative encourages U.S. universities and colleges to promote skin cancer prevention policies and education on campus. A college may self-nominate for the Indoor Tan-Free Skin Smart Campus Award recognition or be nominated by a member of the Indoor Tan-Free Skin Smart Campus working group. The universities recognized by this award will have demonstrated a commitment to skin cancer prevention and the ongoing health of their students.
Colleges and universities may apply for one of the three levels (Sliver, Gold, or Platinum) of the Skin Smart Campus award. The first requirement for colleges and universities to achieve any level of the award is they must not have indoor tanning devices on campus or in any college/university-affiliated building.
Other criteria include:
The college or university…
--does NOT list any off-campus housing that includes indoor tanning as an amenity on the university’s off-campus housing listings website.
--does NOT permit any indoor tanning salon to be included as a university-affiliated debit card merchant.
--provides access to an educational webpage on the college/university website, focusing on the risks of UV exposure and skin cancer prevention practices, to students, faculty, and staff at all times.
--signs a Memo of Understanding drafted by the National Council. This demonstrates a formal commitment to becoming a Skin Smart Campus, ensuring that the university prohibits future relationships with the tanning industry.
The Platinum Level is achieved by fulfilling ALL criteria. If two of four criteria requirements are met, Gold Level is achieved. If one of four criteria requirements is met, Silver Level is achieved.
Sponsors
National Council for Skin Cancer Prevention
UConn Center for mHealth and Social Media
Would you or your organization like to support the initiative?
skinsmartcampus@skincancerprevention.org
References:
- Demko CA, Borawski EA, Debanne SM, Cooper KD, Stange KC. Use of indoor tanning facilities by white adolescents in the United States. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. Sep 2003;157(9):854-860.
- Zeller S, Lazovich D, Forster J, Widome R. Do adolescent indoor tanners exhibit dependency? J Am Acad Dermatol. Apr 2006;54(4):589-596.
- Feldman SR, Liguori A, Kucenic M, et al. Ultraviolet exposure is a reinforcing stimulus in frequent indoor tanners. J Am Acad Dermatol. Jul 2004;51(1):45-51.