![\"2008-12-11-addicted-to-misinformation-copy.jpg\"](\"https:\/\/smarttan.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/12\/2008-12-11-addicted-to-misinformation-copy.thumbnail.jpg\")
<\/a>Discover Magazine in September blew the whistle on recent studies attempting to make the questionable case that suntanning \u2014 like drugs \u2014 can be addictive, putting one paper on the subject on Discover’s “Worst Study of the Week” listing.<\/p>\n\u201cDo one in four college students really have a tanning dependency? This sound more like a scare tactic than good science,\u201d Discover health and science writer Andrew Moseman said in a column this week. He was commenting on a Virginia Commonwealth University survey that asked students about their tanning habits. According to Moseman, forty percent said they\u2019d used tanning booths, and the researchers classified 27 percent as tanning dependent.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis conclusion seems a little suspect,\u201d Moseman continued. \u201cFirst, the questionnaire the researchers used was adapted from one used to survey people for symptoms of substance abuse and dependence. While that at first seems like a clever way to do a study, we have to wonder: Isn\u2019t it a self-fulfilling prophecy to ask questions that presuppose tanning to be an addiction, and then declare that tanning is a widespread addiction?\u201d<\/p>\n
Smart Tan has written extensively that humans are designed to be attracted to sunlight \u2014 just as we are attracted to food, water and air. \u201cConfusing a biological attraction with an addiction is more political science than it is legitimate science,\u201d Smart Tan Vice President Joseph Levy said. \u201cWe\u2019re glad Discover can see through this.\u201d<\/p>\n
Smart Tan’s position on tanning and addiction:<\/p>\n
The mis-statement that tanning can be addictive misses the point entirely and, perhaps most importantly, cheapens the legitimacy of concern over real issues involving addiction.<\/p>\n
Humans are not addicted to UV exposure. We are ATTRACTED to UV exposure. It is entirely natural because we are supposed to get regular UV exposure to be healthy.<\/p>\n
To say anyone is addicted to UV is like saying they are addicted to air, food or water. We are naturally attracted to these things because we need them.<\/p>\n
Consider this: Vitamin D \u2014 the sunshine vitamin \u2014 is now linked to lower risk of most cancers, heart disease and many other disorders. The reason vitamin D research is so compelling today is that the natural vitamin D blood levels necessary to achieve cancer risk reduction as indicated by hundreds of new studies are only naturally achievable through regular UV exposure. That\u2019s because getting a suntan in a non-burning fashion will make 100 times more vitamin D than an 8-ounce glass of whole milk.<\/p>\n
All of which is to say that Mother Nature meant for us to get regular UV exposure and the vitamin D levels that are naturally attainable only through UV exposure. Getting a tan is a natural result of that intended behavior. The author of this story doesn\u2019t seem to get that.<\/p>\n
Billions of dollars are made telling you to avoid the sun \u2014 much more than will ever be made by the small businesses who offer professional indoor tanning services.<\/p>\n
Check out the whole truth at www.TanningTruth.com.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
An upcoming episode of the Dr. Phil show will once again attempt to make the case that indoor tanning can be an addiction \u2014 despite the fact that there is no real evidence to support such a blanket statement.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1500","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news"],"yoast_head":"\n
TODAY'S HEADLINE STORY: Dr. Phil episode to look once again at tanning and addiction - Smart Tan News<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"An upcoming episode of the Dr. Phil show will once again attempt to make the case that indoor tanning can be an addiction \u2014 despite the fact that there is no real evidence to support such a blanket statement. Discover Magazine in September blew the whistle on recent studies attempting to make the questionable case that suntanning \u2014 like drugs \u2014 can be addictive, putting one paper on the subject on Discover's "Worst Study of the Week" listing. \u201cDo one in four college students really have a tanning dependency? This sound more like a scare tactic than good science,\u201d Discover health and science writer Andrew Moseman said in a column this week. He was commenting on a Virginia Commonwealth University survey that asked students about their tanning habits. According to Moseman, forty percent said they\u2019d used tanning booths, and the researchers classified 27 percent as tanning dependent. \u201cThis conclusion seems a little suspect,\u201d Moseman continued. \u201cFirst, the questionnaire the researchers used was adapted from one used to survey people for symptoms of substance abuse and dependence. While that at first seems like a clever way to do a study, we have to wonder: Isn\u2019t it a self-fulfilling prophecy to ask questions that presuppose tanning to be an addiction, and then declare that tanning is a widespread addiction?\u201d Smart Tan has written extensively that humans are designed to be attracted to sunlight \u2014 just as we are attracted to food, water and air. \u201cConfusing a biological attraction with an addiction is more political science than it is legitimate science,\u201d Smart Tan Vice President Joseph Levy said. \u201cWe\u2019re glad Discover can see through this.\u201d Smart Tan's position on tanning and addiction: The mis-statement that tanning can be addictive misses the point entirely and, perhaps most importantly, cheapens the legitimacy of concern over real issues involving addiction. Humans are not addicted to UV exposure. We are ATTRACTED to UV exposure. It is entirely natural because we are supposed to get regular UV exposure to be healthy. To say anyone is addicted to UV is like saying they are addicted to air, food or water. We are naturally attracted to these things because we need them. Consider this: Vitamin D \u2014 the sunshine vitamin \u2014 is now linked to lower risk of most cancers, heart disease and many other disorders. The reason vitamin D research is so compelling today is that the natural vitamin D blood levels necessary to achieve cancer risk reduction as indicated by hundreds of new studies are only naturally achievable through regular UV exposure. That\u2019s because getting a suntan in a non-burning fashion will make 100 times more vitamin D than an 8-ounce glass of whole milk. All of which is to say that Mother Nature meant for us to get regular UV exposure and the vitamin D levels that are naturally attainable only through UV exposure. Getting a tan is a natural result of that intended behavior. The author of this story doesn\u2019t seem to get that. Billions of dollars are made telling you to avoid the sun \u2014 much more than will ever be made by the small businesses who offer professional indoor tanning services. Check out the whole truth at www.TanningTruth.com.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/index.php\/todays-headline-story-dr-phil-episode-to-look-once-again-at-tanning-and-addiction\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"TODAY'S HEADLINE STORY: Dr. Phil episode to look once again at tanning and addiction - Smart Tan News\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"An upcoming episode of the Dr. Phil show will once again attempt to make the case that indoor tanning can be an addiction \u2014 despite the fact that there is no real evidence to support such a blanket statement. Discover Magazine in September blew the whistle on recent studies attempting to make the questionable case that suntanning \u2014 like drugs \u2014 can be addictive, putting one paper on the subject on Discover's "Worst Study of the Week" listing. \u201cDo one in four college students really have a tanning dependency? This sound more like a scare tactic than good science,\u201d Discover health and science writer Andrew Moseman said in a column this week. He was commenting on a Virginia Commonwealth University survey that asked students about their tanning habits. According to Moseman, forty percent said they\u2019d used tanning booths, and the researchers classified 27 percent as tanning dependent. \u201cThis conclusion seems a little suspect,\u201d Moseman continued. \u201cFirst, the questionnaire the researchers used was adapted from one used to survey people for symptoms of substance abuse and dependence. While that at first seems like a clever way to do a study, we have to wonder: Isn\u2019t it a self-fulfilling prophecy to ask questions that presuppose tanning to be an addiction, and then declare that tanning is a widespread addiction?\u201d Smart Tan has written extensively that humans are designed to be attracted to sunlight \u2014 just as we are attracted to food, water and air. \u201cConfusing a biological attraction with an addiction is more political science than it is legitimate science,\u201d Smart Tan Vice President Joseph Levy said. \u201cWe\u2019re glad Discover can see through this.\u201d Smart Tan's position on tanning and addiction: The mis-statement that tanning can be addictive misses the point entirely and, perhaps most importantly, cheapens the legitimacy of concern over real issues involving addiction. Humans are not addicted to UV exposure. We are ATTRACTED to UV exposure. It is entirely natural because we are supposed to get regular UV exposure to be healthy. To say anyone is addicted to UV is like saying they are addicted to air, food or water. We are naturally attracted to these things because we need them. Consider this: Vitamin D \u2014 the sunshine vitamin \u2014 is now linked to lower risk of most cancers, heart disease and many other disorders. The reason vitamin D research is so compelling today is that the natural vitamin D blood levels necessary to achieve cancer risk reduction as indicated by hundreds of new studies are only naturally achievable through regular UV exposure. That\u2019s because getting a suntan in a non-burning fashion will make 100 times more vitamin D than an 8-ounce glass of whole milk. All of which is to say that Mother Nature meant for us to get regular UV exposure and the vitamin D levels that are naturally attainable only through UV exposure. Getting a tan is a natural result of that intended behavior. The author of this story doesn\u2019t seem to get that. Billions of dollars are made telling you to avoid the sun \u2014 much more than will ever be made by the small businesses who offer professional indoor tanning services. Check out the whole truth at www.TanningTruth.com.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/index.php\/todays-headline-story-dr-phil-episode-to-look-once-again-at-tanning-and-addiction\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Smart Tan News\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/SmartTan\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2008-12-11T08:00:58+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/smarttan.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/12\/2008-12-11-addicted-to-misinformation-copy.thumbnail.jpg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"smarttan\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@SmartTan\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@SmartTan\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"smarttan\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"3 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/index.php\/todays-headline-story-dr-phil-episode-to-look-once-again-at-tanning-and-addiction\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/index.php\/todays-headline-story-dr-phil-episode-to-look-once-again-at-tanning-and-addiction\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"smarttan\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/#\/schema\/person\/4191f4b1131c0a37b4fd39f876771e7b\"},\"headline\":\"TODAY’S HEADLINE STORY: Dr. Phil episode to look once again at tanning and addiction\",\"datePublished\":\"2008-12-11T08:00:58+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/index.php\/todays-headline-story-dr-phil-episode-to-look-once-again-at-tanning-and-addiction\/\"},\"wordCount\":546,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/index.php\/todays-headline-story-dr-phil-episode-to-look-once-again-at-tanning-and-addiction\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/smarttan.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/12\/2008-12-11-addicted-to-misinformation-copy.thumbnail.jpg\",\"articleSection\":[\"News\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/index.php\/todays-headline-story-dr-phil-episode-to-look-once-again-at-tanning-and-addiction\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/index.php\/todays-headline-story-dr-phil-episode-to-look-once-again-at-tanning-and-addiction\/\",\"name\":\"TODAY'S HEADLINE STORY: Dr. Phil episode to look once again at tanning and addiction - Smart Tan News\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/index.php\/todays-headline-story-dr-phil-episode-to-look-once-again-at-tanning-and-addiction\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/index.php\/todays-headline-story-dr-phil-episode-to-look-once-again-at-tanning-and-addiction\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/smarttan.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/12\/2008-12-11-addicted-to-misinformation-copy.thumbnail.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2008-12-11T08:00:58+00:00\",\"description\":\"An upcoming episode of the Dr. Phil show will once again attempt to make the case that indoor tanning can be an addiction \u2014 despite the fact that there is no real evidence to support such a blanket statement. 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While that at first seems like a clever way to do a study, we have to wonder: Isn\u2019t it a self-fulfilling prophecy to ask questions that presuppose tanning to be an addiction, and then declare that tanning is a widespread addiction?\u201d Smart Tan has written extensively that humans are designed to be attracted to sunlight \u2014 just as we are attracted to food, water and air. \u201cConfusing a biological attraction with an addiction is more political science than it is legitimate science,\u201d Smart Tan Vice President Joseph Levy said. \u201cWe\u2019re glad Discover can see through this.\u201d Smart Tan's position on tanning and addiction: The mis-statement that tanning can be addictive misses the point entirely and, perhaps most importantly, cheapens the legitimacy of concern over real issues involving addiction. Humans are not addicted to UV exposure. We are ATTRACTED to UV exposure. It is entirely natural because we are supposed to get regular UV exposure to be healthy. To say anyone is addicted to UV is like saying they are addicted to air, food or water. We are naturally attracted to these things because we need them. Consider this: Vitamin D \u2014 the sunshine vitamin \u2014 is now linked to lower risk of most cancers, heart disease and many other disorders. The reason vitamin D research is so compelling today is that the natural vitamin D blood levels necessary to achieve cancer risk reduction as indicated by hundreds of new studies are only naturally achievable through regular UV exposure. That\u2019s because getting a suntan in a non-burning fashion will make 100 times more vitamin D than an 8-ounce glass of whole milk. All of which is to say that Mother Nature meant for us to get regular UV exposure and the vitamin D levels that are naturally attainable only through UV exposure. Getting a tan is a natural result of that intended behavior. The author of this story doesn\u2019t seem to get that. 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Discover Magazine in September blew the whistle on recent studies attempting to make the questionable case that suntanning \u2014 like drugs \u2014 can be addictive, putting one paper on the subject on Discover's \"Worst Study of the Week\" listing. \u201cDo one in four college students really have a tanning dependency? This sound more like a scare tactic than good science,\u201d Discover health and science writer Andrew Moseman said in a column this week. He was commenting on a Virginia Commonwealth University survey that asked students about their tanning habits. According to Moseman, forty percent said they\u2019d used tanning booths, and the researchers classified 27 percent as tanning dependent. \u201cThis conclusion seems a little suspect,\u201d Moseman continued. \u201cFirst, the questionnaire the researchers used was adapted from one used to survey people for symptoms of substance abuse and dependence. While that at first seems like a clever way to do a study, we have to wonder: Isn\u2019t it a self-fulfilling prophecy to ask questions that presuppose tanning to be an addiction, and then declare that tanning is a widespread addiction?\u201d Smart Tan has written extensively that humans are designed to be attracted to sunlight \u2014 just as we are attracted to food, water and air. \u201cConfusing a biological attraction with an addiction is more political science than it is legitimate science,\u201d Smart Tan Vice President Joseph Levy said. \u201cWe\u2019re glad Discover can see through this.\u201d Smart Tan's position on tanning and addiction: The mis-statement that tanning can be addictive misses the point entirely and, perhaps most importantly, cheapens the legitimacy of concern over real issues involving addiction. Humans are not addicted to UV exposure. We are ATTRACTED to UV exposure. It is entirely natural because we are supposed to get regular UV exposure to be healthy. To say anyone is addicted to UV is like saying they are addicted to air, food or water. We are naturally attracted to these things because we need them. Consider this: Vitamin D \u2014 the sunshine vitamin \u2014 is now linked to lower risk of most cancers, heart disease and many other disorders. The reason vitamin D research is so compelling today is that the natural vitamin D blood levels necessary to achieve cancer risk reduction as indicated by hundreds of new studies are only naturally achievable through regular UV exposure. That\u2019s because getting a suntan in a non-burning fashion will make 100 times more vitamin D than an 8-ounce glass of whole milk. All of which is to say that Mother Nature meant for us to get regular UV exposure and the vitamin D levels that are naturally attainable only through UV exposure. Getting a tan is a natural result of that intended behavior. The author of this story doesn\u2019t seem to get that. Billions of dollars are made telling you to avoid the sun \u2014 much more than will ever be made by the small businesses who offer professional indoor tanning services. Check out the whole truth at www.TanningTruth.com.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/index.php\/todays-headline-story-dr-phil-episode-to-look-once-again-at-tanning-and-addiction\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"TODAY'S HEADLINE STORY: Dr. Phil episode to look once again at tanning and addiction - Smart Tan News","og_description":"An upcoming episode of the Dr. Phil show will once again attempt to make the case that indoor tanning can be an addiction \u2014 despite the fact that there is no real evidence to support such a blanket statement. Discover Magazine in September blew the whistle on recent studies attempting to make the questionable case that suntanning \u2014 like drugs \u2014 can be addictive, putting one paper on the subject on Discover's \"Worst Study of the Week\" listing. \u201cDo one in four college students really have a tanning dependency? This sound more like a scare tactic than good science,\u201d Discover health and science writer Andrew Moseman said in a column this week. He was commenting on a Virginia Commonwealth University survey that asked students about their tanning habits. According to Moseman, forty percent said they\u2019d used tanning booths, and the researchers classified 27 percent as tanning dependent. \u201cThis conclusion seems a little suspect,\u201d Moseman continued. \u201cFirst, the questionnaire the researchers used was adapted from one used to survey people for symptoms of substance abuse and dependence. While that at first seems like a clever way to do a study, we have to wonder: Isn\u2019t it a self-fulfilling prophecy to ask questions that presuppose tanning to be an addiction, and then declare that tanning is a widespread addiction?\u201d Smart Tan has written extensively that humans are designed to be attracted to sunlight \u2014 just as we are attracted to food, water and air. \u201cConfusing a biological attraction with an addiction is more political science than it is legitimate science,\u201d Smart Tan Vice President Joseph Levy said. \u201cWe\u2019re glad Discover can see through this.\u201d Smart Tan's position on tanning and addiction: The mis-statement that tanning can be addictive misses the point entirely and, perhaps most importantly, cheapens the legitimacy of concern over real issues involving addiction. Humans are not addicted to UV exposure. We are ATTRACTED to UV exposure. It is entirely natural because we are supposed to get regular UV exposure to be healthy. To say anyone is addicted to UV is like saying they are addicted to air, food or water. We are naturally attracted to these things because we need them. Consider this: Vitamin D \u2014 the sunshine vitamin \u2014 is now linked to lower risk of most cancers, heart disease and many other disorders. The reason vitamin D research is so compelling today is that the natural vitamin D blood levels necessary to achieve cancer risk reduction as indicated by hundreds of new studies are only naturally achievable through regular UV exposure. That\u2019s because getting a suntan in a non-burning fashion will make 100 times more vitamin D than an 8-ounce glass of whole milk. All of which is to say that Mother Nature meant for us to get regular UV exposure and the vitamin D levels that are naturally attainable only through UV exposure. Getting a tan is a natural result of that intended behavior. The author of this story doesn\u2019t seem to get that. Billions of dollars are made telling you to avoid the sun \u2014 much more than will ever be made by the small businesses who offer professional indoor tanning services. Check out the whole truth at www.TanningTruth.com.","og_url":"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/index.php\/todays-headline-story-dr-phil-episode-to-look-once-again-at-tanning-and-addiction\/","og_site_name":"Smart Tan News","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/SmartTan","article_published_time":"2008-12-11T08:00:58+00:00","og_image":[{"url":"https:\/\/smarttan.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/12\/2008-12-11-addicted-to-misinformation-copy.thumbnail.jpg","type":"","width":"","height":""}],"author":"smarttan","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@SmartTan","twitter_site":"@SmartTan","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"smarttan","Est. reading time":"3 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/index.php\/todays-headline-story-dr-phil-episode-to-look-once-again-at-tanning-and-addiction\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/index.php\/todays-headline-story-dr-phil-episode-to-look-once-again-at-tanning-and-addiction\/"},"author":{"name":"smarttan","@id":"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/#\/schema\/person\/4191f4b1131c0a37b4fd39f876771e7b"},"headline":"TODAY’S HEADLINE STORY: Dr. Phil episode to look once again at tanning and addiction","datePublished":"2008-12-11T08:00:58+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/index.php\/todays-headline-story-dr-phil-episode-to-look-once-again-at-tanning-and-addiction\/"},"wordCount":546,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/index.php\/todays-headline-story-dr-phil-episode-to-look-once-again-at-tanning-and-addiction\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/smarttan.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/12\/2008-12-11-addicted-to-misinformation-copy.thumbnail.jpg","articleSection":["News"],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/index.php\/todays-headline-story-dr-phil-episode-to-look-once-again-at-tanning-and-addiction\/","url":"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/index.php\/todays-headline-story-dr-phil-episode-to-look-once-again-at-tanning-and-addiction\/","name":"TODAY'S HEADLINE STORY: Dr. Phil episode to look once again at tanning and addiction - Smart Tan News","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/index.php\/todays-headline-story-dr-phil-episode-to-look-once-again-at-tanning-and-addiction\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/index.php\/todays-headline-story-dr-phil-episode-to-look-once-again-at-tanning-and-addiction\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/smarttan.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/12\/2008-12-11-addicted-to-misinformation-copy.thumbnail.jpg","datePublished":"2008-12-11T08:00:58+00:00","description":"An upcoming episode of the Dr. Phil show will once again attempt to make the case that indoor tanning can be an addiction \u2014 despite the fact that there is no real evidence to support such a blanket statement. Discover Magazine in September blew the whistle on recent studies attempting to make the questionable case that suntanning \u2014 like drugs \u2014 can be addictive, putting one paper on the subject on Discover's \"Worst Study of the Week\" listing. \u201cDo one in four college students really have a tanning dependency? This sound more like a scare tactic than good science,\u201d Discover health and science writer Andrew Moseman said in a column this week. He was commenting on a Virginia Commonwealth University survey that asked students about their tanning habits. According to Moseman, forty percent said they\u2019d used tanning booths, and the researchers classified 27 percent as tanning dependent. \u201cThis conclusion seems a little suspect,\u201d Moseman continued. \u201cFirst, the questionnaire the researchers used was adapted from one used to survey people for symptoms of substance abuse and dependence. While that at first seems like a clever way to do a study, we have to wonder: Isn\u2019t it a self-fulfilling prophecy to ask questions that presuppose tanning to be an addiction, and then declare that tanning is a widespread addiction?\u201d Smart Tan has written extensively that humans are designed to be attracted to sunlight \u2014 just as we are attracted to food, water and air. \u201cConfusing a biological attraction with an addiction is more political science than it is legitimate science,\u201d Smart Tan Vice President Joseph Levy said. \u201cWe\u2019re glad Discover can see through this.\u201d Smart Tan's position on tanning and addiction: The mis-statement that tanning can be addictive misses the point entirely and, perhaps most importantly, cheapens the legitimacy of concern over real issues involving addiction. Humans are not addicted to UV exposure. We are ATTRACTED to UV exposure. It is entirely natural because we are supposed to get regular UV exposure to be healthy. To say anyone is addicted to UV is like saying they are addicted to air, food or water. We are naturally attracted to these things because we need them. Consider this: Vitamin D \u2014 the sunshine vitamin \u2014 is now linked to lower risk of most cancers, heart disease and many other disorders. The reason vitamin D research is so compelling today is that the natural vitamin D blood levels necessary to achieve cancer risk reduction as indicated by hundreds of new studies are only naturally achievable through regular UV exposure. That\u2019s because getting a suntan in a non-burning fashion will make 100 times more vitamin D than an 8-ounce glass of whole milk. All of which is to say that Mother Nature meant for us to get regular UV exposure and the vitamin D levels that are naturally attainable only through UV exposure. Getting a tan is a natural result of that intended behavior. The author of this story doesn\u2019t seem to get that. Billions of dollars are made telling you to avoid the sun \u2014 much more than will ever be made by the small businesses who offer professional indoor tanning services. Check out the whole truth at www.TanningTruth.com.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/index.php\/todays-headline-story-dr-phil-episode-to-look-once-again-at-tanning-and-addiction\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/index.php\/todays-headline-story-dr-phil-episode-to-look-once-again-at-tanning-and-addiction\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/index.php\/todays-headline-story-dr-phil-episode-to-look-once-again-at-tanning-and-addiction\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/smarttan.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/12\/2008-12-11-addicted-to-misinformation-copy.thumbnail.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/smarttan.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/12\/2008-12-11-addicted-to-misinformation-copy.thumbnail.jpg"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/index.php\/todays-headline-story-dr-phil-episode-to-look-once-again-at-tanning-and-addiction\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"TODAY’S HEADLINE STORY: Dr. Phil episode to look once again at tanning and addiction"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/#website","url":"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/","name":"Smart Tan News","description":"","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/#organization","name":"Smart Tan","url":"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/smarttan.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Smart-Tan.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/smarttan.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Smart-Tan.png","width":500,"height":164,"caption":"Smart Tan"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/SmartTan","https:\/\/x.com\/SmartTan"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/#\/schema\/person\/4191f4b1131c0a37b4fd39f876771e7b","name":"smarttan","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/60bebff64d4c62315967b9126de927b81d5a9d9511fd52f9dbe9e8b344149182?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/60bebff64d4c62315967b9126de927b81d5a9d9511fd52f9dbe9e8b344149182?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/60bebff64d4c62315967b9126de927b81d5a9d9511fd52f9dbe9e8b344149182?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"smarttan"},"url":"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/index.php\/author\/smarttan\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1500","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1500"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1500\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1500"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1500"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1500"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![\"2008-12-11-addicted-to-misinformation-copy.jpg\"](\"https:\/\/smarttan.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/12\/2008-12-11-addicted-to-misinformation-copy.jpg\")
<\/a>Discover Magazine in September blew the whistle on recent studies attempting to make the questionable case that suntanning \u2014 like drugs \u2014 can be addictive, putting one paper on the subject on Discover’s “Worst Study of the Week” listing.<\/p>\n