Nanny Statists Go To War To Preserve North Dakota Tanning Restrictions

Rep. Dan Ruby has proposed legislation to end North Dakota’s restrictions on tanning bed use. Per law passed six years ago, North Dakotans may not use a tanning bed more than once a day, and tanning salons are responsible for enforcing the law.

But Ruby wonders what, exactly, the point of the laws is. He told a committee yesterday that while he won’t defend tanning as a healthy choice, he wonders how the law can be enforced. After all, those intent on using a tanning bed more than once a day can simply go to a different salon. And we don’t exactly regulate how much time people spend outside in the sun.

Still, North Dakota Medical Association director Courtney Koebele says “no amount” of UV exposure from tanning beds is safe.

Maybe that’s true, and maybe it isn’t, but the state has little hope of controlling our exposure to UV rays so rather than wasting taxpayer dollars on futile enforcement why not just rely on the people to make good decisions for themselves?

Which most, but not all, were doing anyway.