ACR 198, Gordon. Sun safety.
This measure would encourage teaching sun safety practices to children to enable them to identify the importance of sun safety, practice strategies to protect against the harmful effects of the sun, and understand why and how to stay safe from overexposure to the sun.
WHEREAS, The chief cause of skin cancer is exposure to ultraviolet (UV) rays from natural sunlight and artificial sources; and
WHEREAS, At least one in five Americans will develop skin cancer in his or her lifetime and one American dies every hour from the disease; and
WHEREAS, During October 2014, the United States Department of Health and Human Services, in its 13th Report on Carcinogens, classified solar radiation, which includes UV rays, as a “known human carcinogen” or cancer-causing agent; and
WHEREAS, Skin cancer is by far the most common cancer found among California residents; and
WHEREAS, In California, new cases of skin cancer are roughly equal to the total number of new cases of all other types of cancer combined; and
WHEREAS, In addition to causing skin cancer, unprotected exposure to sunlight can cause eye damage and premature aging of the skin; and
WHEREAS, A child’s skin is more vulnerable to harmful UV rays than an adult’s skin; and
WHEREAS, Up to 50 percent of a person’s lifetime sun exposure can occur during childhood and adolescence; and
WHEREAS, Sunburns, especially in childhood, increase the chances that a person will develop skin cancer; and
WHEREAS, Skin cancer is highly preventable when sun safety practices are adopted, such as the use of wide-brimmed hats, UV-protective sunglasses, long clothing, and sunscreen, supplemented by environmental supports, including the provision of shade and the adoption and implementation of sun protection guidelines and policies; and
WHEREAS, Children, who are more vulnerable, need to understand why and how to guard against unprotected exposure to the sun; now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the Assembly of the State of California, the Senate thereof concurring, That the Legislature encourages teaching sun safety practices to children to enable them to identify the importance of sun safety, practice strategies to protect against the harmful effects of the sun, and understand why and how to stay safe from overexposure to the sun; and be it further
Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies of this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.
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