Add as a preferred source on Google

Arkansas Passes Law Allowing Students to Possess and Use Sunscreen

  • 03/01/19

Rolling Meadows, Ill., – Arkansas has joined 18 other states in adopting legislation to allow children to possess and apply sunscreen at school to avoid overexposure to the sun, an important step in preventing skin cancer.

Governor Asa Hutchinson signed into law HB 1167, which was co-sponsored by Representative Lee Johnson, MD, and carried through the Senate by Senator David Wallace. The legislation is based on ASDSA’s model bill known as SUNucate, which removes barriers that prohibit students from bringing and applying over-the-counter sunscreen at school or during school-related activities. Under the new law, students will no longer require written authorization from a parent, legal guardian or health care professional to possess or use sunscreen at school or school-related activities.

“Sunscreen is one of the best tools we have to protect ourselves from skin cancer,” said ASDSA President Murad Alam, MD, MBA. “Commonsense solutions like SUNucate are one of our strongest defenses against harmful ultraviolet radiation from the sun. We need to encourage children to use sunscreen whenever they are outdoors and practice sun-safe behavior throughout their life.”

The need for such legislation arose after concerns were raised by dermatologists and reports in the national media about students being required to bring a note or prescription from a physician in order to possess or use sunscreen, which is classified as an over-the-counter drug by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the United States Preventive Services Task Force both believe that children should have access to sunscreen and other sun-protective measures in order to reduce the risk of skin cancer, which can be deadly.

ASDSA worked with its coalition partners to advocate for the passage of this law. To learn more about SUNucate, visit asds.net/SUNucate.

About ASDSA
With a membership of 6,400+ physicians, ASDSA is a 501(c) (6) association, dedicated to education and advocacy on behalf of dermatologic surgeons and their patients. For more information, visit asds.net/ASDSA

Featured

  • UCNJ Launches $30M Modernization of Physical Education Center

    The Union College of Union County (UCNJ) in Cranford, N.J., recently broke ground on a new $30-million modernization project for its Physical Education Center (PECK), according to a news release. The college partnered with DIGroup Architecture for the project’s design, transitioning the existing 42,000-square-foot structure into a campus hub for student athletics and campus life.

  • UNL Kiewit Hall

    Designing for Engineering Excellence: Integrating Sustainability and Wellness at UNLs Kiewit Hall

    Kiewit Hall at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln exemplifies how academic institutions can integrate sustainability and wellness into modern learning environments. With an integrated and collaborative team approach, Kiewit Hall addresses enhanced learning and creativity, physical health, and mental wellness, and fosters a sense of community through innovative design, operations, and policy solutions.

  • DLR Group Appoints New K–12 Education Practice Leader

    Integrated design firm DLR Group recently announced that it has named its new global K–12 Education leader, Senior Principal Carmen Wyckoff, AIA, LEED AP, according to a news release. Her teams have members in all 36 of the firm’s offices in the U.S., Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Europe, and Asia.

  • LAN, Inc. Opens Office in College Station, Texas

    Lockwood, Andrews & Newnam, Inc. (LAN) recently announced the opening of a new office in College Station, Texas, to support its regional client base, according to a news release. The organization provides engineering, design, and program management services for water, wastewater, transportation, stormwater, and education clients in the Brazos Valley.

Digital Edition