Evaluating Youth Tanning Trends Before and After New Jersey's Ban
State-level restrictions on commercial indoor tanning beds aim to curb artificial ultraviolet exposure among young people. When New Jersey enacted youth access restrictions, public health investigators set out to determine whether high school students actually altered their tanning habits over the following years. A 2020 research paper published in JAMA Dermatology evaluated these behavioral shifts by comparing cross-sectional survey data gathered before the ban took effect with data collected half a decade later. By contrasting behavioral patterns across age, sex, and equipment locations, the investigation offers a detailed look at how adolescent tanning changed over time.
The Regulatory Timeline: Comparing Pre-Ban and Post-Ban Measures
To assess long-term changes, researchers analyzed survey data centered on New Jersey's 2013 statewide indoor tanning ban, which prohibited commercial tanning bed use for minors younger than 17 years. The baseline comparison year was 2012, immediately prior to the implementation of the restrictions, while the follow-up period concluded in 2018, marking 5 years after the policy change.
The investigation utilized four biennial representative cross-sectional surveys conducted between 2012 and 2018. Across these survey waves, researchers gathered responses from high school students in grades 9 through 12. Among the participants analyzed, 6499 were female (51%), and the overall student cohort had a mean age of 15.8 years with a standard deviation of 1.3 years. By measuring the reported frequency of indoor tanning in the past year across four distinct time points, the study established a comparative timeline to evaluate whether state restrictions correlated with declining device use.
Under-17 Minors vs. Older Students: Contrasting Usage Patterns
The comparison between students covered directly by the legal age cutoff and those who had reached the legal tanning threshold revealed distinct behavioral trajectories. Minors younger than 17 years—the specific group restricted under the 2013 law—demonstrated a clear drop in tanning participation:
- Students younger than 17 years: Tanning prevalence was 48% lower in 2018 compared with 2012 (adjusted odds ratio, 0.52; 95% CI, 0.33-0.81; P = .002).
- Female students 17 years or older: Tanning prevalence was 72% lower in 2018 compared with 2012 (adjusted odds ratio, 0.28; 95% CI, 0.18-0.44; P < .001).
- Male students 17 years or older: Prevalence rates were not significantly different between the comparison periods.
- Racial and ethnic minority students: Prevalence rates also showed no statistically significant difference over the 5-year observation period.
These findings illustrate that while overall participation fell sharply among young females and minors below the age limit, the change was not uniform across all demographics. Understanding how different adolescent groups react to legislative changes is an essential element in public health efforts to minimize tanning bed UV exposure and associated risks.
Commercial Salons vs. Private Residences: Assessing Where Youth Tan
Beyond tracking overall use, the JAMA Dermatology study on youth indoor tanning restrictions examined the physical locations where students reported using tanning beds. Legislative measures typically target commercial tanning salons, leaving equipment in nonsalon environments largely unregulated.
When comparing facility types among students younger than 17 years, researchers observed an important pattern: the prevalence of tanning in commercial salons and private residences was similar. This comparison indicates that youth access restrictions focused solely on commercial storefronts do not address private home units or nonsalon locations such as gyms. Consequently, the study authors noted that addressing adolescent ultraviolet exposure requires policy makers to consider broader oversight that reaches beyond commercial salon counters, alongside guidance that directs individuals toward non-UV alternatives such as topical sunless tanning products.
Study Design and Methodological Limits: What One Study Can Tell Us
When reviewing these findings, it is critical to recognize the design and boundary conditions of this research rather than overstating its conclusions. As documented in the published research report in JAMA Dermatology, previous studies examining how youth access restrictions relate to tanning behavior have produced mixed results across different jurisdictions.
Several methodological boundaries apply to this specific analysis:
- Single-state setting: The data represent high school students in New Jersey, meaning the observed shifts reflect local regulatory, educational, and cultural factors that may not apply universally to other states.
- Repeated cross-sectional surveys: The project analyzed four separate cross-sectional survey waves rather than following the same cohort of individual students over time. Cross-sectional survey data demonstrate statistical associations rather than direct individual-level causation.
- Self-reported behavior: Past-year tanning frequency was self-reported by high school participants, which introduces the possibility of reporting inaccuracies.
- Enforcement gaps: The continued prevalence of salon use among youth younger than the legal age indicates that commercial restrictions alone do not guarantee full compliance without active regulatory enforcement.
Overall, this single study suggests that youth tanning prevalence in New Jersey began to decrease among legally restricted minors and older female students over the 5 years following legislative action, while highlighting the ongoing role of private equipment locations.
Sources
Prevalence and Location of Indoor Tanning Among High School Students in New Jersey 5 Years After the Enactment of Youth Access Restrictions. - JAMA Dermatology / PubMed
Published October 28, 2026. Sources are linked in the text. See our Medical Disclaimer.