The Dangers of Summer

Despite what Game of Thrones characters are constantly saying, summer is here.  Summer is a great time to relax, soak up some sun, and enjoy all the beauty that Utah has to offer.  However, within that summer sun is a very real danger for younger people.  Melanoma, the leading form of skin cancer, has been given the nickname of the "young person's disease" because it is the second most common form of cancer in children and teenagers, and one of the most common in young adults.  In Utah alone, melanoma is one of the most common forms of cancer in men and women under the age of 35, and causes 26% more deaths than the national average. 
In a study performed by the environmental protection agency, Utah was ranked 4th highest in the nation for melanoma.  In 2008 alone, an estimated 500 Utahans were diagnosed with melanoma.  Overexposure to sun and replicated sun radiation (tanning beds) put individuals at a high risk factor for melanoma.  Lying in the sun without shade from a tree or awning increases your risk factor.  The simple act of getting a sunburn raises your chances of getting melanoma by an eighth.  In 2004 a similar study showed that almost 50% of white adults in Utah (and let's faces it, in Utah that's a lot of people) had at least one sunburn in the previous year.  

As stated earlier, melanoma is considered to be the young person's disease, the reason being that most young people expose themselves to an increased amount of sunlight.  Whether they are tanning, sitting on a patio that has no awning or natural shade, or even doing work outside; young people are generally unaware of the dangers that their skin faces against the harmful rays of the sun.
Obviously, people are still going to enjoy themselves in the sun, and as well they should.  The problem is that most people do not take the proper precautions, such as sunscreen, awnings, and proper outdoor attire.  Utah is the 4th highest in the nation for melanoma related deaths, but because of studies from the environmental protection agency, and public relations campaigns against skin cancer such as "Dear 16 Year Old Me", melanoma and other skin related cancers are slowly being eradicated and treatment for said cancers is becoming better and better.  Melanoma is a young person's disease, but with the proper precautions such as awnings, shade, clothing, and sunscreen, you can have summer fun that's worry free.