S.R. 2

1

RESOLUTION ENCOURAGING UTAH SCHOOLS
2 TO EDUCATE CHILDREN REGARDING RISKS
3 OF SUN EXPOSURE
4 2006 GENERAL SESSION
5 STATE OF UTAH
6 Chief Sponsor: Patrice M. Arent
7
8 LONG TITLE
9 General Description:
10 This resolution of the Senate urges Utah's public schools to consider incorporating sun
11 exposure awareness programs into their curriculum.
12 Highlighted Provisions:
13 This resolution:
14 . raises awareness of the risk of skin cancer, particularly melanoma, in Utah due to
15 exposure to the sun and how it can be easily prevented; and
16 . urges Utah's public schools to consider incorporating sun exposure awareness
17 programs and materials into their curriculum.
18 Special Clauses:
19 None
20
21 Be it resolved by the Senate of the state of Utah:
22 WHEREAS, one in five Americans will get skin cancer in their lifetime;
23 WHEREAS, melanoma, the most deadly form of skin cancer, is now the second leading
24 cause of cancer for women in their 20's and 30's;
25 WHEREAS, melanoma is now the fastest growing cancer in the U.S., with cases
26 increasing at an epidemic rate of 3% per year;
27 WHEREAS, there have been no significant advances in the medical treatment of

28 advanced melanoma or its survival rate in the last 30 years;
29 WHEREAS, in a survey by the Centers for Disease Control, 74% of young adults and
30 50% of older adults said that they had little or no knowledge about melanoma;
31 WHEREAS, in 1940, the chance of a U.S. citizen getting melanoma was 1 in 1,500, by
32 2004 it was 1 in 67, and by 2010 scientists predict it will be 1 in 50;
33 WHEREAS, if caught in the earliest stages, melanoma is entirely treatable with a
34 survival rate of nearly 100%;
35 WHEREAS, if untreated and allowed to spread, there is no known effective treatment
36 or cure for melanoma;
37 WHEREAS, the lifetime risk of getting skin cancer is linked to sun exposure and
38 sunburn during childhood and adolescence;
39 WHEREAS, studies have shown that the occurrence of at least two blistering sunburns
40 before the age of 18 years may double the risk for development of melanoma as an adult;
41 WHEREAS, it is estimated that regular use of sunscreen during childhood could lower
42 skin cancer incidence by nearly 80%;
43 WHEREAS, since 1982, incidences of pediatric melanoma in children have more than
44 doubled;
45 WHEREAS, Utah's melanoma rates are among the highest in the nation;
46 WHEREAS, Utah regularly ranks in the top five states in the nation for per capita
47 deaths from melanoma;
48 WHEREAS, the United States Department of Health and Human Services classifies
49 solar radiation as a known human carcinogen;
50 WHEREAS, the causes, prevention, and early detection of skin cancer, particularly
51 melanoma, are fairly well understood and easy to learn;
52 WHEREAS, schools have the potential to educate and positively influence pupil and
53 family behavior regarding skin cancer prevention;
54 WHEREAS, simple, inexpensive changes in behavior such as wearing sunscreen,
55 avoiding midday sun exposure, and wearing a shirt and hat can alter lifelong skin cancer risks;
56 WHEREAS, several programs are available to educators to help them teach students
57 about the risks and prevention of skin cancer, and the programs could be integrated into classes
58 in Utah schools;

59 WHEREAS, the United States Environmental Protection Agency has created a program
60 that educates school-age children on the risks of exposure to the sun;
61 WHEREAS, this program, called SunWise, is provided free of charge, is designed for
62 school-age children, requires no teacher training, and is easily integrated into a school's
63 curriculum;
64 WHEREAS, SunWise is currently being used by 14,000 schools around the country and
65 246 schools in Utah with great success;
66 WHEREAS, a low-cost program about the risks and prevention of skin cancer, Sunny
67 Days, Healthy Ways, was developed with grants from the National Cancer Institute;
68 WHEREAS, the Centers for Disease Control have free materials on the prevention of
69 skin cancer which can be downloaded from their website and used in class or sent home with
70 children to help educate families;
71 WHEREAS, Only Skin Deep is a Utah based program designed to train high school
72 students to teach their peers about skin cancer prevention;
73 WHEREAS, this program has been successfully used in Utah schools, is free of charge,
74 and requires no time from teachers; and
75 WHEREAS, faced with the reality of the risks of sun exposure and with the variety of
76 low or no-cost programs and materials available, Utah schools should educate their students on
77 the risks and prevention of skin cancer:
78 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Senate of the state of Utah urges
79 Utah's public schools to consider incorporating sun exposure awareness programs and
80 materials into their curriculum.
81 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this resolution be sent to each school
82 district in the state of Utah, the Utah Parent Teacher Association, the American Cancer Society
83 of Utah, the Utah Cancer Action Network, the Utah State Office of Education, the Utah State
84 Board of Education, the Utah Department of Health, the National Cancer Institute, and the
85 Utah Society for Dermatologic Medicine and Surgery.

Legislative Review Note
as of 1-17-06 8:46 AM

Based on a limited legal review, this legislation has not been determined to have a high
probability of being held unconstitutional.

Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel