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

  • Three U.S. Universities Install Acre Security Access Control Platform

    Cloud-native physical and digital security solutions company Acre Security recently announced that it has deployed its access control platform at three major universities in the U.S., according to a news release. Acre partnered with Atrium Campus to provide coverage for more than 69,000 students at the University of Virginia (UVA), George Mason University, and Rockhurst University.

  • University of Kansas Opens $400M Football Stadium Reconstruction

    The University of Kansas in Lawrence, Kan., recently announced that the $400-million reconstruction of David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium is complete in time for the 2025 football season, according to a news release. The university partnered with Turner Construction Company on the project.

  • Kenall Introduces Millenium Flair Series

    In a move aimed at modernizing institutional lighting without compromising on durability or performance, Kenall has launched its new Millenium Flair series, according to the Kenall website.

  • K–12 Safety Trends Report Reveals Reliance on Training, Technology

    Wearable safety technology provider CENTEGIX recently released its 2025 School Safety Trends Report, according to a news release. The report is based on more than 265,000 incidents during the 2024–25 school year as reported through the CENTEGIX Safety Platform, used by more than 800 school districts across the U.S.

Digital Edition