Teen Girl Indoor Tanning Worries Health Officials

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) - Minnesota health officials are worried about the number of teenage girls using tanning beds to get a bronze glow.

According to the Minnesota Student Survey, compiled by the state Health Department, slightly more than one-third of white 11th-grade girls in Minnesota said they have tanned indoors within the past year.

Reports say this is the first year the survey has addressed use of tanning beds by teens.

Minnesota's health commissioner, Dr. Ed Ehlinger, says the survey shows the importance of educating teens about the skin cancer risks of tanning.

In an effort to alert teens to the dangers of indoor tanning, the state Health Department is promoting a contest. The UVideo Challenge calls on teens to create short videos about the dangers of tanning.