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. 2023 Mar:88:102738.
doi: 10.1016/j.jhealeco.2023.102738. Epub 2023 Feb 11.

Bad lighting: Effects of youth indoor tanning prohibitions

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Bad lighting: Effects of youth indoor tanning prohibitions

Christopher S Carpenter et al. J Health Econ. 2023 Mar.

Abstract

Indoor tanning beds (ITBs) emit UV light at high intensity and have been classified as carcinogenic to humans by the World Health Organization since 2009. We are the first to study the role of state laws prohibiting youths from indoor tanning using a difference-in-differences research design. We find that youth ITB prohibitions reduced population search intensity for tanning-related information. Among white teen girls, ITB prohibitions reduced self-reported indoor tanning and increased sun protective behaviors. We also find that youth ITB prohibitions significantly reduced the size of the indoor tanning market by increasing tanning salon closures and reducing tanning salon sales.

Keywords: Quasi-experiment; Tanning salons; Youth indoor tanning prohibitions.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: Carpenter gratefully acknowledges funding from the American Cancer Society grant #133789-RSGI-19-193-01-CPHPS. Churchill has no interests to disclose. Marcus gratefully acknowledges funding from the American Cancer Society grant #133789-RSGI-19-193-01-CPHPS.

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