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In their Civil Beat Community Voice piece, the authors of “Hawaii Shouldn’t Wait To Ban Harmful Chemical Sunscreens” make several inaccurate and misleading statements about chemical sunscreens. If legislators in Hawaii believe those statements and enact a ban on these ingredients, thousands of Hawaii residents run a greater risk of developing skin cancer.

Also, a ban on sunscreens and their ingredients is a distraction from addressing other important influences on the degradation of marine life and more specifically, coral reefs.

Sunscreen ingredients are regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Avobenzone and octocrylene have been used in sunscreens for decades as ultraviolet filters. The FDA recently reaffirmed that there isn’t evidence suggesting these chemicals are unsafe or ineffective for humans.

To the contrary, last year the FDA specifically recommended that Americans wear sunscreen, noting, “Given the recognized public health benefits of sunscreen use, the FDA strongly advises all Americans to continue to use sunscreens in conjunction with other sun protective measures (such as protective clothing).”

The fact is, there is still limited peer-reviewed evidence suggesting that these chemicals harm marine or human life. Indeed, the overwhelming scientific evidence points to rising ocean temperature, ocean acidification, invasive species, land-based source pollution and water quality issues due to poor wastewater management as the primary causes of coral reef decline.

In contrast, there is significant evidence that the incidence of skin cancer continues to grow. Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States and worldwide. The Skin Cancer Foundation notes that two Americans die from skin cancer every hour. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Hawaii has one of the highest daily UV index averages in the nation, which makes sun protection an important public health issue.

Bans, such as that proposed by , will remove about 64% of sunscreens from the market. The unfortunate result will be fewer people wearing sunscreen and more people getting skin cancer.

It is clear that more information is needed to determine where there are research gaps concerning sunscreens and their effects on the environment and public health before moving to consider drastic legislation that may affect the health of Hawaii residents. The National Academy of Sciences is currently evaluating the latest science available on the correlation between coral reefs and sunscreens as well as the potential public health impact of limiting access to sunscreen. This study, directed by Congress and sponsored by the EPA, will examine research concerning both the environmental and human health impacts of access to sunscreen. It will be completed early next year.

The is a multi-stakeholder coalition composed of public health groups, dermatologists, sunscreen manufacturers and leading advocates for skin cancer patients. PASS opposes proposals, such as SB 132, because they will create additional barriers for consumers to access their choice of safe, effective and FDA-approved sunscreens as a skin cancer prevention tool.

The risk of skin cancer continues to grow. Limiting access to effective skin cancer prevention turns public health on its head. Waiting for expert review of current scientific research is in everyone’s best interests. We can do better.