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New law allows Maryland students to use sunscreen at school


 

In early April, Maryland Governor Larry Hogan signed HB 427 into law, making Maryland the second state in 2018 to ensure that state policy allows students to possess and use sunscreen at school.

“The passing of this bill helps encourage children to develop sun-safe behaviors early on, like sunscreen application,” American Society for Dermatologic Surgery Association president Lisa Donofrio, MD, said in a statement issued by the ASDSA. “Maryland’s efforts reinforce the importance of teaching children the risks of sun exposure during outdoor activities and how to best avoid skin cancer,” she added.

Sunscreen Grassetto/Gettyimages
The legislation is based on SUNucate, the ASDSA’s model legislation designed to “eliminate barriers that prohibit students from possessing and using over-the-counter sunscreen in school,” according to the ASDSA.

ASDSA worked with the Maryland Dermatologic Society in advocating for passage of the law. In the statement, ASDSA Board Member Lawrence Green, MD, of Rockville, Maryland, who testified in favor of SB 217, said, “allowing children to put on sunscreen before recess … would really help protect them from the dangers of the sun.”

More information about SUNucate is available here.

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