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During an investigation, Schneiderman's office found that Beach Bum Tanning Salons made false and misleading health claims about indoor tanning, suggesting that the practices posed no significant cancer risk and could even prevent certain cancers.
The agreement prohibits Beach Bum from making health claims, from offering “unlimited” tanning packages, and from targeting high school students. Beach Bum also agreed to comply with all state tanning regulations. Beach Bum paid $20,000 in costs and penalties, said the Attorney General's office.
“Today’s agreement is part of a continuing effort to protect consumers from the documented skin cancer risks of indoor tanning,” said Schneiderman. “Indoor tanning salons should not make misleading health claims when there are rising cancer rates associated with indoor tanning, particularly for young people.”
Beach Bum Tanning operates approximately 50 salons in five states; there are currently 29 salons in New York with locations in Manhattan, Staten Island, Queens, Nassau, Suffolk, Rockland, and Westchester Counties, nine of which are corporately owned.
The investigation found that Beach Bum’s website featured a “Tanning Truth” section that provided links to organizations that promoted tanning and contained many unsupported cancer-related health statements such as “Many scientists and dermatologists have taken firm positions that melanomas’ connection to UV light is unclear or doesn’t exist at all," stated the Attorney General's office.
Beach Bum Tanning also agreed to stop aiming their marketing at teenagers and offering prom specials, in addition to begin to comply with spray-tan or "airbrush," safety measures. Beach Bum also ceased the promotion of “unlimited” tanning services to members of legal tanning age.
The action against Beach Bum is one of a number of steps taken by the Attorney General to help educate the public and raise awareness of the harms associated with indoor tanning.
The Attorney General’s office has released a brochure on indoor tanning safety that provides important information on the risks and harms associated with UV tanning
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