Greetings,

A generation ago people smoked like it was going out of style, in fact it was so in style that everyone did it. People knew it probably wasn’t good for you and in fact detrimental to your health but it persisted. Years later those who abused cigarettes in a most egregious fashion began paying for this habit with their lives. Today people still smoke and we have a generally good idea of the health risks involved. That said, smoking is highly addictive and cigarette companies only make them more addictive because let’s get serious: smokers are a dying breed.

We’re a new generation and cancer is still prevalent in society, most people don’t smoke as well it’s stupid. Today the new problem is sun tanning. We know it’s not good for you and some older people are getting skin cancer but they were exposed to a sun years ago. Currently the ozone layer is deteriorating at alarming rates and the ultra violet rays are becoming increasingly intense and dangerous.

Just like people used to know smoking was bad for you but kept doing it. People know too much sun is bad for you but are still doing it. Just like cigarette companies upped the nicotine and added all these lethal ingredients into their insidious cocktail to keep us hooked, the sun is ramping  up it’s damage. To compare years of suntanning in the 60’s to years of doing it in the 90’s and beyond is asinine.

Why do I mention this? I travel all year for a living now and I’m constantly one of the few gents hiding out in the shade with a shirt and hat on. People come on their vacation and all to often a huge priority is getting as dark as possible to look as “cool” as possible when they get back home. People are even going to tanning salons because being “tanned is cool”. What’s so funny about this is that only white people want to be tanned. In any other ethnicity group around the world, the lighter you are the better.

Suntanning is the new smoking. It’s cool but does nothing for you and in fact will harm you. People know it’s bad but still have no clue what the long term damage will be under the new depleting ozone. Take a look at some of those older ladies who have been going brown / black for years – they look like an old leather bag. Also remember this was from a sun 20-30 years ago. What will the sun kids of today look like in 2030?

Skin cancer is no joke, think about it.