Prevalence and Location of Indoor Tanning Among High School Students in New Jersey 5 Years After the Enactment of Youth Access Restrictions.

Importance: Several state governments have enacted bans on the use of indoor tanning beds at tanning salons among minors, but studies of the association of such restrictions with tanning behavior have produced mixed results. Little is known about the prevalence of tanning in nonsalon locations that are typically not covered by restrictions. Evidence that age bans are associated with a reduction in tanning bed use is needed to support policy makers' efforts to expand tanning regulations. Objective: To determine the prevalence and location of indoor tanning among New Jersey youths after a 2013 statewide indoor tanning ban for minors younger than 17 years. Design, Setting, and Participants: This survey study comprised 4 biennial (2012-2018) and representative cross-sectional surveys conducted among 12 659 high school students (grades 9-12) in New Jersey. Main Outcomes and Measures: The main outcome was the frequency of indoor tanning in the past year. Location of tanning bed use (ie, tanning salons or nonsalon locations, such as private residences or gyms) was also assessed. Results: Survey responses from a total of 12 659 high school students (6499 female [51%]; mean [SD] age, 15.8 [1.3] years) were analyzed across the 4 survey waves. Tanning prevalence among students younger than 17 years (ie, younger than the legal tanning age) was 48% lower in 2018 compared with 2012 (adjusted odds ratio, 0.52; 95% CI, 0.33-0.81; P = .002). Tanning prevalence was 72% lower among female students 17 years or older (adjusted odds ratio, 0.28; 95% CI, 0.18-0.44; P < .001). Prevalence rates were not significantly different for male students 17 years or older and for racial/ethnic minority students. The prevalence of tanning in salons and private residences was similar among students younger than 17 years. Conclusions and Relevance: This study suggests that the prevalence of tanning in New Jersey has begun to decrease among all youths younger than the legal tanning age and among female students of legal age in the 5 years after a statewide tanning ban. These findings provide valuable evidence to policy makers to support ongoing state-level efforts to enact age-specific bans on indoor tanning. The unique assessment of tanning location demonstrates the need for both greater enforcement of existing tanning salon regulations to ensure compliance and broadening restrictions to cover nonsalon tanning locations.

A comprehensive model for mental health tobacco recovery in new jersey.

Despite the high prevalence of tobacco use, disproportionate tobacco consumption, and excess morbidity and mortality, smokers with mental illness have reduced access to tobacco dependence treatment across the health care spectrum. We have developed a comprehensive model for Mental Health Tobacco Recovery in New Jersey (MHTR-NJ) that has the overarching goal of improving tobacco cessation for smokers with serious mental illness. Important steps involve engaging patients, professionals and the community to increase understanding that addressing tobacco use is important. In addition to increasing demand for tobacco treatment services, we must educate mental health professionals in evidence-based treatments so that patients can seek help in their usual behavioral health care setting. Peer services that offer hope and support to smokers are essential. Each of the policy or cessation initiatives described address the two core goals of this model: to increase demand for tobacco cessation services for mentally ill smokers and to help more smokers with mental illness to quit. Each has been pilot tested for feasibility and/or effectiveness and revised with feedback from stakeholders. In this way this implementation model has brought together academics, clinicians, administrators and mental health consumers to develop tobacco programming and policy that has been tested in a real world environment and serves as a model for other states.