(06/08/06) HAMILTON ? It may help teens look good for the prom, but one lawmaker is pushing legislation to shelter young people from the dangers of tanning beds.

Assemblyman Fred Scalera (D-District 36) says up until the age of 18, a person?s skin is most susceptible to melanoma and other disorders. Scalera is now sponsoring a bill that would put age restrictions on tanning in New Jersey. The measure would ban anyone under the age of 14 from going to tanning salons. In addition, it would require teens between ages 14 and 18 to get written permission from their parents to tan.

Although they stand to lose business, tanning salon owners say they are against the bill for other reasons. They say young adults will get their color outdoors where the potential exists for severe sunburn. The bill has passed the Assembly and will now move to the Senate for a vote.