Thank ‘Tanning Mom’ For New Jersey’s Latest Tanning Salon Ban For Kids

It looks like something positive has come out of the bizarre tale of Patricia Krentcil, the mom from New Jersey dubbed “tanning mom.” Krentcil was arrested in 2012 when her 5-year-old daughter showed up to school with a sun burn she allegedly suffered as a result of a visit to a tanning salon. (She denied this accusation). As a result of the backlash Krentcil received, New Jersey has actually done something about it.

Governor Chris Christie signed a bill on Monday that bans anyone under the age of 17 from using tanning salons without being accompanied by a parent or guardian for an initial consultation.

Christie released this statement:

“Governmental regulation of the private sector should always be carefully scrutinized, and sparingly adopted,” he said in a statement. “The new  restrictions imposed by this bill followed a single but breathlessly reported  incident of a parent bringing a minor child into a tanning facility.

New Jersey already had a ban on children under 14 using tanning beds as a way to reduce the risk of skin cancer. This ban’s aim is to stop teenagers from using them as well.

Also under the new law, children under 14 cannot get sprayed tanned in a salon, which may be a problem for the child beauty pageant set. Although I once saw an episode of Toddler’s and Tiara’s where a 5-year-old was given a spray tan in a body shop, so I’m sure the devoted will find a way around this.

(photo: Maksim Toome / Shutterstock)